NTPC Ltd., India’s biggest power utility, has raised the alarm. They caution that if coal-fired power plants are run at below suggested load levels, it can drastically reduce their useful life. Ravindra Kumar, NTPC’s Director of Operations, just last week released a powerful public comment. He pointed out that operating the plants at low capacities increases stress and corrosion on critical parts such as boilers and turbines. This latest warning is a role in NTPC’s broader strategy. They’re trying to work through the challenging energy production environment, provide productive operations and maximize the life of assets.
Kumar noted that if NTPC’s plants operate continuously at lower loads, the typical lifespan of approximately 25 years could decrease significantly. He stated, “If we operate at that level for long periods, the expected life of a plant – typically 25 years – could be cut by a third or even more.”
Technical Minimum Set at 55%
To address these issues, NTPC has committed to a technical minimum operational threshold of 55%. This level is well above the Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) advised cap of 40%. This change demonstrates NTPC’s desire to maintain the long-term use of its assets while creating needed operational flexibility.
We agree with the CEA’s recommendation to encourage energy efficiency. According to NTPC, ensuring a higher minimum load consistently will produce better operational performance with better asset preservation results. This new approach is very much in line with NTPC’s aims of strengthening operational reliability while meeting technical standards.
Energy Transition Roadmap
In June, NTPC announced a partnership with Sustainable Energy for All to support its transition toward cleaner energy solutions. This partnership aims to promote a sustainable and inclusive energy transition. It will help address India’s growing energy security requirements and efforts to achieve net-zero emissions.
As part of this endeavour, NTPC plans to pilot and implement numerous clean energy technologies and operational practices. The company’s ambitions run deeper, as it pursues the retrofit of its remaining coal plants to enable them to operate on lower loads in the future. As Ghanshyam Prasad, a senior executive at NTPC, explains in order to make retrofitting large investments on compensatory mechanisms should be introduced. These mechanisms are necessary because those kinds of investments can be harmful to efficiency. He remarked, “If those (retrofitting) investments are made, the machines can run at lower loads. It will affect efficiency, and that’s where compensation mechanisms should be considered.”
Future Capacity Plans
The adoption targets being set by the Indian government are extremely ambitious. To start, they intend to significantly increase coal-fired power generation capacity by a staggering 97 gigawatts (GW) through 2035. This expansion is a painful reminder that coal still plays a key role in our energy production.
NTPC is well positioned to be a key player in this development even as it seeks to harmonize the trajectory of its operations with its environmental responsibilities. The company is working diligently to ensure that its coal facilities adapt to the evolving energy landscape without compromising on performance or sustainability.