Coal India Ltd (CIL) will develop its first-ever thermal power plant in the country in Odisha, a top company official said. The project will be implemented through CIL’s subsidiary, Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL).

The power plant, which will have a capex of ?13,000 crore and a capacity of 1,600 MW (2x800 MW ), will come up at Sundergarh district. Power producer NTPC Ltd will be a joint venture partner and will likely have a 49 per cent stake.

The project has been able to get land and coal linkages and will utilise the pithead stock. NTPC will use existing power purchase agreements for the project.

According to CIL’s Chairman and Managing Director Anil Kumar Jha, a second super-critical power plant may also be set up by Central Coalfields Ltd, another subsidiary of the coal behemoth. The power plant, whose capacity is yet to be decided, will come up at North Karanpura area in Bokaro district of Jharkhand. NTPC and Power Finance Consultancy Ltd are the likely JV partners for the project.

“All formalities and clearances for the Sundergarh power project are in place. We have tied up with NTPC to run the plant. The North Karanpura project is at the consultancy level,” Jha said.

He said CILhas budgeted for a capex of ?9,500 crore for FY19. However, with the Sundergarh project under way, the capex may go up by an additional ?1,500 crore.