NTPC, India’s largest power utility, has signed an agreement with Engineers India (EIL) to develop a Coal-to-Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) facility aimed at enhancing grid stability and promoting clean energy transition.

The proposed unit will use high-ash Indian coal from NTPC’s captive mines to produce SNG as a cleaner fuel alternative for its gas-based power stations and in-situ power generation. The project aligns with the government’s coal gasification initiative, which seeks to reduce reliance on imported fuels and lower emissions. A Cabinet-approved Rs 8,500-crore coal gasification scheme and a Request for Proposal (RFP) were issued last year to encourage private participation.

NTPC’s R&D wing, NETRA, is driving the “Greening the Coal” vision by advancing carbon capture and utilisation technologies. NTPC currently has an installed capacity of 84 GW, with 30.9 GW under construction, including 13.3 GW of renewables, and targets 60 GW of renewable energy by 2032.