DVC plans capex of Rs 70,000 crore by 2030 to increase power generation capacity

Multipurpose project Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has drawn up capital expenditure plans of around Rs 70,000 crore by 2030 to boost power generation capacity from 6,700 MW at present to 16,000 MW, its chairman R N Singh said on Friday. He said DVC will increase its coal-fired power generation capacity through brownfield expansion. It also plans to invest in the renewable energy sector, the chairman said.

Speaking at the Bengal Power Conclave organised by IEEMA here, Singh said “DVC will make a capital expenditure of Rs 70,000 crore in augmenting power generation capacity by 2030. The present installed capacity of 6,700 MW will go up to 16,000 MW”.

Thermal capacity expansion will be through the brownfield route, he added.

Singh said DVC will also make investments in the renewable energy sector by setting up floating and land-based solar power plants. He said the potential for harnessing solar energy will be about 2,000 MW under the DVC command area.

“DVC has already floated a tender of 310 MW in this regard, while another one for 750 MW is being evaluated. The floating solar power plants will be set up on the dams under the command area of DVC”, he added. DVC has already formed a JV with NTPC for renewable energy projects.

The DVC chairman also said that the company will also be focussing on pump storage power plants. “One such plant will come up at Bokaro having a capacity of 1,500 MW. The detailed project report for this plant will be ready by March 2024″, he said. Another pump storage plant is planned at Panchet of 1000 MW capacity will be done in collaboration with WBSEDCL, the power utility owned by the West Bengal government, he said.