Mahan Aluminium power station

Mahan Aluminium power station is a 900 megawatt (MW) power station proposed by Hindalco Industries to supply the new Mahan Aluminium Project near Bargawan village, Sidhi District in Madhya Pradesh, India.

Location
The company states that the "project has access to the Mahan coal block (off the main basin in the Singrauli coal fields) through a joint venture with Essar Energy. Hindalco’s share in the coal block is about 3.6 million mtpa." The two companies are equal partners in the coal mining project. Hindalco also states that the aluminum smelter was scheduled to be commissioned in October 2011.

Background
When Hindalco first proposed the new aluminum smelter it was considering a 325,000 tonne a year plant which would require 549 MW of electricity to run it. Hindalco proposed that the power supply be met from the construction of a 900MW captive power plant comprising six 150MW generating units. One of these units, the company explained, would be built as a "stand by" unit in the complex. (Note: In some documents the power plant is referred to as 750MW and in others 900MW. The EIA makes it clear that the 750MW capacity is to cater for the normal operating load with an additional 150MW unit for backup during outages or maintenance of one of the other units.) The power station, Hindalco stated, would consume approximately 3.5 million tonnes a year from the Mahan coal block.

Mahan I power station
The power station comprises two 600MW units.

Mahan II Expansion
In its 2010 annual report Essar Energy refers to a 600MW expansion of the Mahan power station as being under "development" by the company. No other details about the project are mentioned. The company's webpage, which only lists projects "under construction" and those already operating, does not mention the possible expansion.

Project Details
Sponsor: Hindalco Industries Location: Bargawan village, Sidhi District in Madhya Pradesh, India Coordinates: 24.220902,82.437197 Status: Nameplate capacity: 900MW though one 150MW units is for back up only Type: Projected in service: 2011 Coal Type: Coal Source: Mahan coal block (off the main basin in the Singrauli coal fields) Estimated annual CO2: 	5,322,331 tons Source of financing:

Related SourceWatch articles

 * India and coal
 * Proposed coal plants in India

External articles

 * Promit Mukherjee, "Nod for Hindalco & Essar’s Mahan coal block soon", DNA, July 7, 2011.