Uchpinda power station

The Uchpinda power station is a 1440 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant under construction by RKM Powergen Private Limited in Chhattisgarh, India.

Location
The project is proposed for Uchpinda village, Janjgir-Champa district, Chhattisgarh state. The satellite photo below (undated) shows construction underway on three units with space available for a fourth.

Coal supply
In September 2013 project sponsor Mudajaya Corp Bhd signed an agreement with India-based South Eastern Coalfields Ltd for the supply of coal to the power station for the next 20 years. The annual contracted quantity of coal supply was 1.69 million tonnes.

Opposition
The magazine Tehelka reported that land aquisition for the plant has resulted in local opposition:
 * TWO-AND-A-HALF HOURS from Akaltara lies Dabhra block, a region that is set to make history for all the wrong reasons. Around nine thermal power plants have been planned in a 10-km radius. Work has begun on three and land acquisition process is on for two more. Most others are in process of getting environment clearances.
 * A total of around 10,000 acres will be required from Dabhra alone. There were protests when RKM Powergen, which is setting a plant for 1,440 MW, started acquiring land in 2009. Many were arrested and at least 11 were put behind bars under the charges of attempting to murder. Local villagers say that around seven or eight of them are still in jail.
 * Khileshwar Jayaswal, an advocate fighting the cases of the aggrieved, and a land loser himself, says, “Around 400 villagers, who were engaged in making stonegrinders, have gone out of job due to the land acquisition. Those who did not own the land are now left with nothing.”

Project Details
Sponsor: RKM Powergen Private Limited Parent company: Mudajaya Corp Bhd Location: Uchpinda village, Janjgir-Champa district, Chhattisgarh, India Coordinates: 21.8863997, 83.1208098 Status: Construction Nameplate capacity: Four units, each 360 MW - total 1440 MW Type: Projected in service: Unit 1: 2013, Units 2-4: 2014 Coal Type: Coal Source: South Eastern Coalfields, India Estimated annual CO2: 	7,096,441 tons Source of financing:

Related SourceWatch articles

 * India and coal
 * Proposed coal plants in India

External resources

 * "Executive Summary: RKM Powergen Private Limited, Chapter 1 - Project Description" enviscecb.org, accessed June 2012
 * Prakhar Jain, "How to destroy a district," January 21, 2012