JSPL’s Raigad expansion project gets in-principle green nod…

Jindal Power’s Rs. 13,140 Crorer expnasion project in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh received an in-principle clearances from the MoEF. This will pave the way for engineering and construction work to resume at the plant site.

The clearance is only for the first two units of 600 MW each under the expansion project. The total capacity of expansion project is 2,400 MW having 4 units of 600 MW each at Tamnar Thermal Power Project in Gharghoda tehsil of Raigarh district.

According to MoEF website "Environmental clearance shall be applicable for 2x600-MW only. However, at a later stage, when firm coal linkage for the third and fourth unit of 600 MW are also available, the project proponent may request the ministry for inclusion of 2x600-MW, which the ministry may consider appropriately on merit.”

The preliminary clearance had been withdrawn by MoEF after some allegations that Jindal Power had not followed the Terms of Reference (TOR) stipulated by the government.

Among the conditions stipulated by the ministry for the grant of final environmental clearance, the company has been asked to secure certain permissions from the Coal Ministry, as some of the plant area falls in coal-bearing area.

In addition, the Environment Ministry has directed the company to finalise a vision document outlining its plans for the site within six months.
The Environment Ministry clearance also makes it mandatory for the company to establish a three-tier green belt around the plant, as well as undertake specific schemes for the welfare of tribals affected by the project.

The company will have to earmark Rs 53.60 crore as a one -time investment on corporate social responsibility activities and recurring expenditure on CSR initiatives shall not be "less than Rs 10.7 crore per annum till the operation of the plant", as per the ministry's clearance.
"The proposed project is to entail an investment of Rs 13,410 crore, of which over Rs 10,000 crore debt has been tied up," the company said after getting the Environment Ministry's nod.