Thermal power is one of the most widely used power options in the world. It contributes the largest percentage of electricity into the National power generation. India alone uses more than 70% of its total electrical power from thermal stations. There are three kinds of thermal power plant operations in India that contribute a total capacity of 221,802.59 MW. Thermal stations use a variety of fuels like coal, gas, and diesel (Petroleum) out of which more than 62% of the thermal power generation in India is with Coal. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) owns the five biggest thermal stations in India.
Thermal Power Plant Working Principle
The working of the thermal power plant is on the basic principle of converting chemical energy into heat energy which converts it to kinetic energy and finally electric energy. The Fuel is used to heat the boilers filled with water which converts the water into steam. This steam is pressurized into turbine blades which help generate electricity.
Some Important Thermal Power Plants of India:
Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station-Madhya Pradesh
The Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station is the biggest thermal power plant in India. It is located in the Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh. It is a coal-based power plant owned and operated by NTPC with an installed capacity of 4,760MW. The plant uses coal from the NCL-operated Nigahi mine and water from the discharge canal of Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station. The turbine manufacturers for the Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station include Russian companies LMZ, Electrosila and the Indian BHEL.
The Construction of the plant was started in 1982. It is comprised 12 generating units in which six are of 210MW units and the rest six are of 500MW units. Its first unit was authorized in 1987 whereas the second unit of 500MW was commissioned in April 2013.
Mundra Thermal Power Station-Gujarat
The 4,620MW Mundra Thermal Power Station located is the second biggest operating thermal power plant in India. It is situated in the Kutch district of Gujarat. This station is a coal-fired power plant. Adani Power is the owner and operator of the station. It comprises of nine generating units (four 330MW units and five 660MW units).
The first 330MW unit was commissioned in May 2009 and the last 660MW unit of the plant commissioned in March 2012. Indonesia is the exporter of this coal used for the power plant. The plant’s water source is the seawater from the Gulf of Kutch. The boilers and generators for the first four units were supplied by Babcock & Wilcox and Beijing Beizhong respectively.
Tiroda Thermal Power Plant, Maharashtra
Tiroda thermal power plant is located in Tiroda district, Maharashtra. It is a 3,300MW coal-based power generation plant in Maharashtra. Adani Power Maharashtra Ltd is the owner and operator of this power plant. State-of-the-art supercritical technology is used in this power plant and it draws water from the Wainganga River for its operations. This power plant consists of five 660MW units. The first unit of the power plant was authorized in August 2012, while the last unit commenced operations in October 2014. The total area of this power plant is 454.86ha and is equipped with advanced pollution control equipment, including a 275m-high chimney, a dust extraction and suppression system, and low NOx burners.
Talcher Super Thermal Power Station, Odisha
The Talcher Super Thermal Power Station in situated in the Angul district of Odisha.It is a 3,000MW coal-fired power plant owned and operated by NTPC. It consists of six 500MW units. The first unit of the plant was commissioned in February 1995 and the last unit began operations in February 2005. ABB and BHEL are the Turbine manufacturers for the plant. Lingraj Block of Talcher Coal Field is the supplier of coal for this plant. The water for this plant is sourced from the Samal Barrage Reservoir on the Brahmani River in Odisha.
Rihand Thermal Power Station, Uttar Pradesh
Rihand Thermal Power Station is situated at Rihandnagar, Sonebhadra district, Uttar Pradesh. This coal-fired power plant has an installed capacity of 3,000MW. The owner and operator of this power plant is NTPC. The plant consists of six units generating 500MW each. The first unit was commissioned in March 1988 while the sixth unit was commissioned in October 2013. Amlori, Amloric expansion, and the Dudhichua mines in Madhya Pradesh is the supplier of the Coal for the Rihand thermal power station. Rihand Reservoir built on Son River is the source of water for this power plant. It supplies electricity to states like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Chandigarh.
Major Thermal Power Plant and their Location in India
| Location | Thermal Power Plant |
| Rajasthan | Anta Thermal Power Station Rajwest Lignite Power Plant Suratgarh Super Thermal Power Station VS Lignite Power Plant Barsingsar Lignite Power Plant Chhabra Thermal Power Plant Giral Lignite Thermal Power Station |
| West Bengal | Kolaghat Thermal Power Station Bakreswar Thermal Power Station Bandel Thermal Power Station Mejia Thermal Power Station Durgapur Thermal Power Plant Durgapur Thermal Power Station Farakka Super Thermal Power Station Sagardighi Thermal Power Station Santaldih Thermal Power Station |
| Odisha | Talcher Super Thermal Power Station Vedanta Aluminum Company Captive Power Plant IB Thermal Power Plant Jharsuguda Thermal Power Plant Hirakud Captive Power Plant |
| Tamil Nadu | Mettur Thermal Power Station Neyveli Thermal Power Station Ennore Thermal Power Station North Chennai Thermal Power Station Tuticorin Thermal Power Station |
| Uttar Pradesh | Anpara Thermal Power Station Obra Thermal Power Station Auraiya Thermal Power Station Feroz Gandhi Unchahar Thermal Power Plant Harduaganj Thermal Power Station National Capital Thermal Power Plant Panki Thermal Power Station Pariccha Thermal Power Station Rihand Thermal Power Station Rosa Thermal Power Station Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station Tanda Thermal Power Plant |
| Punjab | Guru Hargobind Thermal Power Plant Guru Gobind Super Thermal Power Station |
| Maharashtra | Amravati Thermal Power Plant Koradi Thermal Power Station Nashik Thermal Power Station Paras Thermal Power Station Parli Thermal Power Station Bhusawal Thermal Power Station Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Plant Khaperkheda Thermal Power Station Tirora Thermal Power Plant Trombay Thermal Power Station |
| Madhya Pradesh | Dada Dhuniwale Thermal Power Station Sanjay Gandhi Thermal Power Station Sant Singaji Thermal Power Plant Amarkantak Thermal Power Station Satpura Thermal Power Station Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station |
| Karnataka | Bellary Thermal Power Station Raichur Super Thermal Power Station Udupi Thermal Power Plant |
| Jharkhand | Bokaro Thermal Power Station Chandrapura Thermal Power Station Patratu Thermal Power Station |
| Haryana | Gorakhpur Atomic Super Thermal Power Station Deenbandhu Chottu Ram Super Thermal Power Station |
| Gujarat | Kawas Thermal Power Station Kutch Lignite Thermal Power Station Mundra Thermal Power Plant Sabarmati Thermal Power Station Sikka Thermal Power Station Gandhinagar Thermal Power Station Jhanor-Gandhar Thermal Power Station Surat Lignite Thermal Power Station Ukai Thermal Power Station Wanakbori Thermal Power Station |
| Delhi | Badarpur Thermal Power Plant Indraprastha Power Station Rajghat Power Station |
| Chattisgarh | Bhilai Expansion Power Plant Korba Super Thermal Power Plant Sipat Thermal Power Plant Dr Shyama Prakash Mukharjee Thermal Power Plant Hasdeo Thermal Power Station Jindal Megha Thermal Power Plant |
| Bihar | Kahalgaon Super Thermal Power Station Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Plant Barh Super Thermal Power Station Barauni Thermal Power Station Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Station |
| Andhra Pradesh | Sri Damodaram Sanjeeviah Thermal Power Station NTPC Ramagundam Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant Dr. Narla Taatarao Thermal Power Station |
List of Major Thermal Power Plant Operators in India:
Following is the list of the thermal power operators in India. This is important from exam point of view.
| S.No. | Name of the Operator |
| 1 | National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) |
| 2 | National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) |
| 3 | Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) |
| 4 | North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) |
| 5 | Power Finance Corporation (PFC) |
| 6 | Power Grid Corporation of India (POWER GRID) |
| 7 | SJVN – A Mini Ratna Company |
| 8 | THDC India Limited |
| 9 | Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO) |
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