Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation (TNPGCL) has kept all options open, including a public-private partnership (PPP), to execute the long-delayed 660-MW Ennore Thermal Power Station (ETPS) expansion project.

The project, estimated at around Rs 4,500 crore, has faced setbacks due to the termination of contracts with Lanco Infra Tech and BGR Energy Systems. To revive the stranded project, TNPGCL issued a purchase order to SBI CAPS on 02 September, 2024, for transaction advisory services. A pre-draft detailed feasibility report (DFR) has been submitted by SBI CAPS and is under review.

Importantly, the Union government’s revised Shakti Policy 2025 allows coal linkages for projects selected through tariff-based competitive bidding. As per the new guidelines, state governments can now allocate coal to projects under planning, construction, or through competitive bidding.

TNPGCL has requested the Standing Linkage Committee to earmark long-term coal linkage for the Ennore project under the revised policy. A senior TNPGCL official confirmed that collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board is ongoing, and all development models, including PPP, remain on the table.