On 1 March 2019 Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated OPGC's expansion project, which consists of two units of 660 MW each (total 1320 MW), and coal mines operated by Odisha Coal and Power Ltd. (OCPL), dedicated to the coal requirement of the two new units. The contract was awarded to M/s
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for the supply of Main Plant, and to M/s BGRE for
balance of plant. 75% of power to be generated from the capacity addition has been tied up with GRIDCO under a long term
power purchase agreement. Financing agreement executed with
Power Finance Corporation and
Rural Electrification Corporation for the financing of 75% debt. Two captive coal mines (namely Manoharpur and Dip-side of Manoharpur) allocated to Odisha Coal and Power Limited for the supply of coal to OPGC are in an advanced stage of development, along with the dedicated railway line (MGR) of 47 km for transporting the coal from the mine to the power plant. The land acquisition process for railway line and coal mine have been significantly advanced and the Stage-1 clearance has been obtained from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India for Forest Diversion for coal mine and MGR alignment. The power plant will depend on coal from the captive coal mine allocated to
Odisha Coal and Power Limited. The Coal from the coal mines of
Odisha Coal and Power Limited shall be transported through the dedicated railway line to OPGC for commissioning and operation of the expansion power project thereafter. In addition to Units 3&4, based on the coal reserves available from the captive mines, OPGC has started planning for construction of Units 5&6 of 2x660 MW (1320 MW) at the same location. ==References==