MahaGenco to set up own coal washery

In a first-of its-kind move, the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MahaGenco) is planning to set up its own captive coal washery at Chandrapur, along with a power plant running on coal rejects.

Senior MahaGenco officials told DNA that the setup of the captive washery, with a capacity to process 12 million metric tons (MMT) coal per annum in the premises of the Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS), had been cleared in principle by the MahaGenco board of directors.

“The setup of a washery will also lead to issues of the disposal of coal rejects. Hence, we are planning to have a rejects-based power plant to dispose of this coal,” said the official.

He added that the circulated fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) power plant was likely to have a minimum 250 MW capacity. The use of CFBC technology would also ensure less sulphur and nitrogen emissions, he said, and this would be the first time a state utility was setting up a coal washery with a rejects-based power plant.

Coal washing is a process wherein raw coal undergoes a process of beneficiation to reduce ash content and increase calorific value, enabling greater generation efficiencies. Earlier, private washery operators were allowed to keep the coal rejects at a nominal charge, to be reflected in the rebate given in the coal washing charges. MahaGenco, which is at odds with washery operators, said it had stopped using washed coal from July 31, 2011, over quality issues.

The Chandrapur power plant, located in Vidarbha, has the largest installed capacity (2,340 MW) among MahaGenco’s thermal units, and the coal washery will provide washed coal to it.

The official added that the company was in the process of appointing a consultant for the setup of the washery and the power plant. He further stated that if this pilot project was successful, it could be replicated at the other thermal power stations owned by MahaGenco.