Mundra Thermal Power Project (Adani)

The Mundra Thermal Power Project was conceived for the captive consumption of the Mundra Port by the Adani Group in Gujarat state, India.

Location
The undated satellite photo below shows construction activity at the project site, which is located at Mundra, in Gujarat, India.

Background
The total capacity of the plant is 4620 MW, consisting of 4 subcritical units of 330 MW each and 5 supercritical units of 660 MW each. As planned, all units of the plant were fully operational within the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012).

Project receives CDM certification
Unit 5 of Phase III of the Mundra project was the first plant in India to use supercritical technology, which provides greater efficiency through higher boiler pressures and temperatures. Phase III of the Mundra project received Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) certification under the the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), making it the first supercritical project in the world to receive CDM certification. The award of CDM certification makes the project eligible for subsidies financed by carbon offsets bought by British and European companies in lieu of cutting their own emissions. Awarding CDM credits to coal plants has been widely criticized. According to a report by the Stockholm Environmental Institute, using CDM credits to encourage a more efficient power technology is only appropriate if the more efficient technology is not happening anyway. However, "the transition away from less efficient subcritical technology to supercritical technology in India ... is well under way, if not largely complete."

Project Details
Sponsor: Adani Group Location: Gujarat, India Coordinates: 22.823, 69.553 Status: Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV Nameplate capacity: 4,620 MW Type: Projected in service: Coal Type: Coal Source: Estimated annual CO2: Source of financing:
 * Unit 1 - 330 MW - commissioned 2009
 * Unit 2 - 330 MW - commissioned 2010
 * Unit 3 - 330 MW - commissioned 2010
 * Unit 4 - 330 MW - commissioned 2010
 * Unit 5 - 660 MW - commissioned 2010
 * Unit 6 - 660 MW - commissioned 2011
 * Unit 7 - 660 MW - commissioned 2011
 * Unit 8 - 660 MW - commissioned 2012
 * Unit 9 - 660 MW - commissioned March 9, 2012
 * Units 1-4: subcritical
 * Units 5-9: supercritical

Coal supply
As of 2011, 70% of the requirements at Mundra is met with imported coal.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * India and coal
 * Proposed coal plants in India