State-run NTPC has approved investments of Rs 16,547.71 crore in FY22 for Renovation and Modernisation (R&M) initiatives at its 20 coal and gas fired stations, including for flexible operations necessitated due to large scale integration of renewables.

As of March 31, 2022, the power generation behemoth had spent ₹9,050.03 crore on various R&M initiatives, the company said in its annual report for FY22.

“Investment approval accorded till date for R&M of 20 stations (coal and gas based) is ₹16,547.71 crore. As against this, the cumulative expenditure till March 31, 2022 is ₹9,050.03 crore which includes R&M capital expenditure of ₹478.25 crore during financial year 2021-22,” the CPSU said.

Renovation & Modernisation

The country’s largest power generator said that R&M of various units, especially the ones which have completed 25 years of commercial operation, is considered essential.

These initiatives will help to achieve objectives such as compliance of latest statutory norms/revised environmental norms/IEGC Code, recovery/improvement of efficiency of the units, reliability improvement, flexible operations necessitated due to large scale integration of renewables, sustenance of operations considering equipment health assessment observed during last 2-3 years, and overcoming constraints on account of current operating conditions (changes in coal quality, water supply arrangements, change in law, etc), it added.

“With a view to maintain a clean atmosphere in and around the power plant by reduction of particulate emission levels from generating stations, Renovation and Retrofitting of Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) packages have been awarded for 52 Units in 10 Stations,” the Maharatna company said.

In order to remove technological obsolescence, renovation of Control & Instrumentation (C&I) has been taken up in 9 coal-based stations, while the renovation of Control & Instrumentation (C&I) has been completed in five gas-based stations, it added.

Focus on renewables

One of the initiatives under R&M is to have more flexible operations on account of large scale integration of renewable energy (RE) in the grid.

NTPC is already putting in place firm plans for achieving 60 gigawatts (GW) of RE capacity by 2032. Apart from the 2 GW capacity which is already commissioned, over 4 GW of capacity is in the construction stage and 5 GW capacity is in the tendering stage, NTPC Chairman & Managing Director Gurdeep Singh said in his letter to the company shareholders.

“The work at the largest renewable energy park (4,750 megawatt) at Khavda in Gujarat has started. We have also signed MoU with Government of Rajasthan for allocation of land parcels for setting up aggregate renewable capacity of 10 GW. We have also taken action for setting up of around 1,600 MW of merchant capacity,” he added.

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