NTPC has received environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for a reworked plan of its North Karanpura super thermal power project in Jharkhand.
The power project, with 1,980 MW (3 x 660 MW) capacity, is facing hurdles due to its location. The approval will help the company to fast-track the commissioning of the project within the scheduled timeframe of the mid-13th Plan. The environmental clearance however, has come with 36 added conditions.
The project received the original Environmental Clearance (EC) in November 2004. However, progress was hit after the Ministry of Coal claimed it would sterilise over six billion tonne of reserves beneath the site. The issue was resolved after a ministerial panel decided in 2012 that the plant should be shifted to a new location with reduced capacity and land requirement. The project area has been cut from 2,570 acre to 890 acre.
The project will entail an investment of Rs 15,000 crore.
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