Larsen & Toubro wins initial nod for 1,600 MW Jharkhand power plant
The engineering giant will design and build the core units for a joint venture of Coal India and Damodar Valley Corporation.
Larsen & Toubro has secured an initial contract to build the main energy-generation units for a new 1,600-megawatt thermal power plant in Jharkhand.
The engineering major announced on Wednesday that its power business vertical, L&T Energy CarbonLite Solutions, has received a Limited Notice to Proceed (LNTP) for the main plant package at the Chandrapura thermal power facility. The project is being developed by DVC CIL Power Private Limited, a joint venture set up by the state-run Damodar Valley Corporation and Coal India.
While the initial notice allows preparatory work to begin, the final, full notice to proceed will depend on the project securing necessary environmental clearances and completing the initial LNTP period.
What is Larsen & Toubro building?
The contract covers the core generation infrastructure for two 800-megawatt ultra-supercritical power units. Under the agreement, L&T will design, manufacture, and supply the main equipment, which includes the boilers, steam turbines, generators, and electrostatic precipitators.
The scope of the project also covers all associated civil, electrical, control, and mechanical works, along with the installation, testing, and commissioning of the systems.
Electrostatic precipitators, or ESPs, are critical filtration devices used to strip ash and fine soot particles from the plant's exhaust gases before they reach the chimneys. In a country where industrial air pollution remains a sensitive regulatory issue, the efficiency of these systems is a crucial part of securing the environmental clearances the project still needs.
Why the technology matters
The choice of ultra-supercritical technology is a key feature of the project. By operating at higher temperatures and pressures than traditional coal-fired plants, these units achieve higher thermal efficiency. L&T stated in a regulatory filing that this technology will enable "lower specific emissions", helping to reduce the environmental footprint of the plant while maintaining a steady supply of power.
Once commissioned, the project is expected to feed directly into the national grid, supporting industrial expansion and the rising electricity demand that has accompanied India’s economic growth.
Neither L&T nor the joint venture has yet disclosed the exact financial value of the contract or the targeted timeline for completing the construction.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total generation capacity | 1,600 MW | Larsen & Toubro regulatory filing |
| Number of power units | 2 x 800 MW | Larsen & Toubro regulatory filing |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Larsen & Toubro | Secured the preliminary contract to manufacture and build the core power plant equipment. |
