JSW Energy has commenced the construction of a 1,600MW ultra supercritical thermal power plant in Salboni, West Bengal (WB), India.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and JSW Group chairman Sajjan Jindal.
This project, valued at INR160bn ($1.88bn), will include two 800MW units. It is also the largest greenfield venture undertaken by JSW Energy to date.
The plant is set to operate under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited, utilising domestic coal allocated under the SHAKTI B (IV) policy.
The Salboni plant is a crucial element of JSW Energy’s strategy to expand its footprint in East India. It is expected to bolster industrial infrastructure and create numerous employment opportunities, with a focus on skill development and local resource sourcing, benefiting the Salboni region and its vicinity.
Jindal said: “The upcoming 1,600MW Ultra supercritical thermal power plant of JSW Energy is the largest greenfield plant of our Group and the biggest thermal power project by the private sector in the state of West Bengal. We are going to invest INR160bn in this project and it will generate more than 2000 jobs in direct and indirect employment.
“We are also setting up a JSW Industrial Park here in Salboni spread over 2000 acres, with a plug-&-play infrastructure in keeping with the latest urban planning principles.”
JSW Energy is progressing towards its goal of achieving a 20GW power generation capacity well before 2030, with a secured project pipeline exceeding 30GW. The company anticipates reaching an installed capacity of 14GW by June 2025.
Meanwhile, Coal India, a public sector coal producer, has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) to establish a 1,600MW coal-powered plant in Jharkhand, a state in eastern India. The initiative, which involves INR165bn ($1.94bn) investment, will expand the existing Chandrapura Thermal Power Station by adding two 800MW units.
Recently, India-based renewable energy company ReNew launched a solar power project with a capacity of 1.3 gigawatt peak (GWp) in Rajasthan.
