NLC India Limited (NLC) (formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited) is a central public sector undertaking under the administrative control of the Ministry of Coal, Government of India. It annually produces about 30 million tonnes of lignite from opencast mines at Neyveli in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India and at Barsingsar in Bikaner district of Rajasthan state. The lignite is used at pithead thermal power stations of 3640 MW installed capacity to produce electricity. Its joint venture has a 1000 MW thermal power station using coal. Lately, it has diversified into renewable energy production and installed 1404 MW solar power plant to produce electricity from photovoltaic (PV) cells and 51 MW electricity from windmills.
It was incorporated in 1956 and was wholly owned by the Government of India. A small portion of its stock was sold to the public to list its shares on stock exchanges where its shares are traded.
History
Lignite deposit was found by chance when some 'brown substance' gushed out with water in T. M. Jambulingam Mudaliar's 620 acre own farm artesian well during 1934. He acted swiftly and contacted the then British Raj, which sent geologists to Neyveli. It was later identified as 'Lignite'. He generously extended substantial portion of the sprawling land-bank for soil exploration. Through his effort and donated his 620 acres land to the Madras Government.[5][6] NLC has been a forerunner in the country in the energy sector for 62 years, contributing a lion's share in lignite production and significant share in thermal power generation. It was inaugurated by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1956.
NLC operates four opencast lignite mines of a total capacity of 30.6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) at Neyveli and Barsingsar; six lignite-based pithead thermal power stations with an aggregate capacity of 3640 MW – at Neyveli and Barsingsar; NLC recently commissioned 2×500 MW New Thermal Power Plant at Neyveli with Asia's largest lignite fired boiler and decommissioned its 600 MW old power plant in 2020.
It has a 1000 MW coal-based thermal power Station at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu through its subsidiary, NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited (NTPL), a joint venture between NLC and TANGEDCO (equity participation in the ratio of 89:11).
Further, NLC, jointly with the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL), is setting up a 3×660 MW coal-based thermal power plant at Ghatampur in Uttar Pradesh, through its subsidiary company Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited (NUPPL) (equity participation in the ratio of 51:49). Two units of 660 MW each are commissioned and third unit is under construction.
NLC is also setting up Coal Mines at Thalabira and Pachwara in Odisha, to meet the coal requirements of its above power plants.
NLC has also forayed into renewable energy sector with commissioning of a 141 MW Solar Photo Voltaic Power Plant including 1 MW rooftop project at Neyveli and a 51 MW wind energy plant at Kazhuneerkulam village of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu. The company has also set up 1209 MW Solar Power Projects at Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu. NLC is the first PSU to achieve 1 GW solar power in India. NLC is aiming to achieve a total renewable energy capacity of 4251 MW, at various locations in India.
NLCIL has a target of becoming a 20,000+ MW company by 2030. Works are under progress for the lignite-based Bithnok TPS and Barsingsar TPS Expansion (each 250 MW) in Rajasthan. Apart from the above, the addition of thermal capacity to the tune of 6040 MW by way of installation of new plants and acquisition of power assets to the tune of 3000 MW is in the pipeline.
NLC has also contributed significantly to the socio-economic development for more than half a century.
The business portfolio of the company is as under:
Chronology of events
Power projects
NLC India has five pithead thermal power stations with an aggregate capacity of 4240 MW. Further, NLC India has so far installed 51 wind turbine generators of capacity 1.50 MW each and also commissioned a 140 MW solar photo voltaic power plant in Neyveli, resulting in an overall power generating capacity of 4431 MW (excl. JVs).
Thermal Power Station I
The 600 MW Neyveli Thermal Power Station-I in which the first unit was synchronized in May 1962 and the last unit in September 1970 consists of six units of 50 MW each and three units of 100 MW each. Power generated from Thermal Power Station-I after meeting NLC's requirements is supplied to TANGEDCO, Tamil Nadu which is the sole beneficiary. Due to the aging of the equipment / high-pressure parts, the life extension programme has been approved by the Indian Government in March 1992 and was completed in March 1999 thus extending the life by 15 years. Given the high grid demand in this region, this power station is being operated after conducting the Residual Life Assessment (RLA) study. The Indian Government sanctioned a 2×500 MW Power Project (Neyveli New Thermal Power Plant – NNTPS) in June 2011 as a replacement for the existing TPS-I.
Thermal Power Station II
The 1470 MW second thermal power station consists of 7 units of 210 MW each. In February 1978, the Government of India sanctioned the second thermal power station of 630 MW capacity (3 × 210 MW) and in February 1983, the Government of India sanctioned the second thermal power station Expansion from 630 MW to 1470 MW with the addition of 4 units of 210 MW each. The first 210 MW unit was synchronized in March 1986 and the last unit (Unit-VII) was synchronized in June 1993.
Mining projects
NLC has four open cast lignite mines, namely, Mine I, Mine II, Mine IA and Barsingsar Mine and a coal mine named Talabira II & III OCP, Sambalpur Odisha. The lignite mined out is used as fuel to the linked pithead power stations. Also, raw lignite is being sold to small scale industries to use it as fuel in their production activities. The mines at Talabira currently despatches coal to Tuticorin Thermal Power Plant (NTPL) and sells the balance coal to outside customers.
Gallery
Joint venture projects
NLC Tamil Nadu Power Ltd. (NTPL) (2 x 500 MW)
NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited (NTPL), is a joint venture company of NLC India Ltd (formerly known as NLC Ltd) and TANGEDCO (Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company), incorporated under the Companies Act. The Equity participation between NLC and TANGEDCO is 89:11. The Government of India had issued sanction for the implementation of coal-based 2 × 500 MW thermal power project by NTPL at Tuticorin at an estimated cost of ₹ 4,909.54 crores, Unit 1 and Unit 2 has been declared for commercial operation effective 18 June 2015 and 29 August 2015. RCE – 2 for the project (Completion cost of the project) works out to ₹ 7,293.48 crores (June – 15 base). Power Purchase Agreement has been signed with TANGEDCO, ESCOMs of Karnataka, Puducherry Electricity Department, Kerala State Electricity Board and DISCOMs of Andhra Pradesh. Power evacuation from this project is being carried out by Power Grid Corporation of India. NTPL has signed a fuel supply agreement with Mahanadhi Coalfields for supply of 3.0 MTPA of coal and to meet the shortfall in the requirement, a contract has also been awarded on MSTC for the supply of imported coal.
Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd. (NUPPL) (3 x 660 MW)
Upcoming projects
Neyveli New Thermal Power Project (NNTPP) (2 X 500 MW)
The Neyveli New Thermal Power Project (2×500 MW) is being implemented at a capital cost of ₹ 5,907.11 crores as a replacement for the more than five decades old 600 MW Thermal Power Station I and adopts pulverized fuel firing technology. Consequent to re-tendering of Steam Generator package, the units are rescheduled to be commissioned in October 2017 and April 2018. LOA for Steam Generator package (NTA 1) and Turbo-Generator package (NTA 2) has been issued to BHEL and detailed engineering activities, civil and mechanical erection works and supplies are in progress. LOA has also been issued for the Balance of Plant Package and the engineering & civil works, supplies and erection are in progress.
Expansion of Mine I-A
In order to meet the additional requirement of lignite arising out of implementation of 1000 MW Neyveli New Thermal Power Project at Neyveli, expansion of Mine-IA is being implemented, which would result in raising the Mine IA capacity by 4 MTPA. Ministry of Coal has accorded approval for mining expansion plan of Mine 1A.
Wind Power Plant (51 MW)
NLC is implementing wind power farm of capacity 51 MW at Kazhuneerkulam in Tamil Nadu at an estimated cost of ₹ 347.14 crores.
Research and development
R&D initiatives
- Coldry and Matmor process – In this process, lignite is crushed and made into pellets which are dried using hot air, and then iron ore is added to make the pellets suitable as reduction agents in iron ore purification process.
- Upgradation of brown coal (UBC) - Reducing moisture in raw lignite at site and increasing calorific value will reduce the transportation cost and increase the fuel value. This will reduce auxiliary power consumption, emission and improve power plant efficiency and overcome the problem of spontaneous ignition while transporting lignite over long distances.
- Underground coal gasification - To gainfully utilize the vast potential of lignite deposits which are uneconomical for conventional mining
- Synthesis of zeolites from lignite fly ash – for removal of calcium from circulating water system
- Dynamic loading of conveyors – energy conservation measure
- Separation of iron from bottom slag of thermal power stations
- Usage of bottom ash for construction purposes
- High longevity coatings and alternate material for erosion and corrosion resistance
- Development of fly ash-based pesticide
References
- NLC India Consolidated Profit & Loss account, NLC India Financial Statement & Accounts moneycontrol.com, retrieved 2020-08-03^
- NLC India Consolidated Balance Sheet, NLC India Financial Statement & Accounts moneycontrol.com, retrieved 2020-08-03^
- NLC India Limited retrieved 11 February 2017