Udangudi is a 1,320MW super-critical coal-fired power plant under construction in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
The £1.71bn ($2.05bn) project is being developed on a build, own, and operate basis by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).
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In phase one; the thermal power facility will comprise two coal-fired units of 660MW capacity each.
The foundation for the thermal power plant was laid in January 2018, while the main construction works were started in 2019 with commissioning targeted for 2021.
Location and site details
The Udangudi coal-fired power project is located in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, India.
It is being developed on a 421ha-site, approximately 1.2km from the shore of Gulf of Mannar near Kulasekaranpatnam.
Udangudi coal-fired power plant make-up
The stage one thermal power plant will be equipped with two 660MW super critical units, each comprising a pulverised coal-fired boiler connected to a steam turbine generator.
The project plan also involves a 275m-tall chimney, cooling tower, seawater intake, and outfall (SWIO) facilities, a switchyard, as well as a coal yard, ash dykes, and a captive coal jetty, approximately 7.5km away from the plant site, which will be connected to the plant site through a coal conveyor system.
Seawater intake and outfall system
The Udangudi thermal power plant is estimated to require seawater at a rate of 13,500m3/hour in phase one.
The seawater intake system will comprise two 6.5km-long high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes with a total discharge capacity of 30,000m3 per hour. The outfall system will comprise a 2.5km-long glass reinforced plastics (GRP) pipe capable of transferring seawater at a rate of 22,500m3/hr.
The other components in the SWIO system will include stop log gates, sluice gates, trash racks, slurry cum dewatering pumps.
Coal supply
The super-critical coal-fired power plant will utilise imported coal with a gross calorific value of 5700kcal/kg. The annual requirement of coal is estimated to be 3.87 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa).
TANGEDCO executed an agreement with Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC) for the supply of 4.5Mtpa of imported coal from Indonesia in November 2012.
Power evacuation
The electricity generated by the Udangudi power station will be evacuated through a 400kV double circuit power transmission line.
It will be initially connected to the existing Kayathar 400kV substation and later to the proposed Ottapidaram 400kV substation.
Udangudi thermal power project finance
Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) signed a loan agreement worth £1.36bn ($1.64bn) with TANGEDCO for the Udangudi thermal power plant stage one development in January 2018.
Contractors involved
BHEL was awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract worth £960m ($1.15bn) for stage one of the Udangudi power project in December 2017.
GE was awarded a subcontract worth of £17.53m ($20.4m) by BHEL for the supply and installation of pressure parts for the boilers of the project in July 2018.
ITD Cementation India was awarded a contract worth approximately £240m ($300m) for the development of a captive coal jetty for the project in February 2018.
COMACOE was subcontracted by BHEL for the seawater intake and outfall system for the coal-fired station, while SSEB was engaged for the construction of ash dyke along with the civil and architectural works of non-plant buildings.
Fichtner Consulting Engineers India was engaged for the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) for phase one of the Udangudi power project.
Udangudi coal-fired power project background
BHEL incorporated a joint venture company with Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to build, own and operate the Udangudi supercritical thermal power plant in November 2008.
The supercritical thermal power project was initially proposed to be developed with two 800MW units and the clearance for the same was received from India’s Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) in October 2013. The individual unit capacity was later reduced to 660MW.
Future expansion
The Udangudi thermal power station is proposed to be developed with six 660MW coal-fired units for a total capacity of 3,960MW.
The 3.9GW facility is planned to be developed in three phases with each phase comprising two 660MW units.
