CHHATTISGARH: Akhilesh Singh, HOP (Lara) performed the bhumipujan work for commencement of SG civil soil excavation work for construction of Stage-II at Lara on 12th April 2024. It is to mention that Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for this project on 24th February 2024.  Another 1600 megawatt (800x2) will be constructed at Lara. These two units will be laced with Ultra Super Critical technology which is 01 percent more efficient than present Super Critical Technology.  Efficiency of Ultra super critical unit is 41.5 present and Super Critical unit is 40.5 percent. With this technical advancement this plant will play a crucial role from environmental point of view, as less coal will be required for producing electricity. With less coal consumption there will be less environmental impact. Being a pithead plant of NTPC and coal requirement will be met from its own captive Talaipali coal mine, per unit energy input cost will be considerably less from other power plants. With all these attributes this power plant will play a vital role to fulfil the growing energy need of Chhattisgarh as well as central and western parts of the country. Half of the generated electricity is provided to home state Chhattisgarh. Being the fastest growing state Chhattisgarh will be highly benefited by NTPC’s Lara power plant to provide affordable electricity to accelerate its growth momentum.

The contract for construction of stage-II has been awarded to BHEL for setting up 2x800 MW Lara Supercritical Thermal Power Project Stage-II for rupees 15529.99 crore on EPC basis. As per contact term the unit-III & IV will be commissioned after 48 month and 52 months accordingly from 30th August 2023 which is the date of approval for investment by NTPC Limited.

Besides power production, vicinity of Lara power plant, Raigarh district and Chhattisgarh at large will be benefited by CSR-CD activities in the form education, health, drinking water and infrastructure development.