Author: PPD Team Date: 21/04/2025
The Mirzapur Thermal Project involves the development of a coal-based thermal power plant using supercritical technology in Dadri Khurd village, Mirzapur Sadar tehsil, Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh. Initially proposed as two units of 660 MW each (1320 MW total), it was later upgraded to two units of 800 MW, bringing the total capacity to 1600 MW.
Originally, the project was planned at Ghazipur but was later relocated to Mirzapur due to proximity to coal sources. It was initially developed by Welspun Energy Limited (WEL) through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) – Welspun Energy Uttar Pradesh Private Limited (WEUPPL). Adani Infra (India) Limited acquired WEUPPL, and the company was renamed Mirzapur Thermal Energy (UP) Private Limited on August 16, 2019. It was subsequently acquired by Adani Power Limited (APL).
The plant will require approximately 6.74 million tonnes of coal per annum at 90% plant load factor (PLF). While domestic coal was initially planned from Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), and Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), non-availability has led to an interim coal import arrangement from Indonesia. A fuel supply agreement (FSA) for 5.5 mtpa has been signed with Sirdi Sai Goodearth International Private Limited. The plant’s operational life is expected to be 25 years.
The water requirement, estimated at 36 million cubic metres per year, will be sourced from the Upper Khajuri Dam, fed by the Ganga river, via a 17 km pipeline. The Water Resources Department (WRD), Government of Uttar Pradesh, has confirmed water allocation. A power purchase agreement (PPA) has been signed with Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL).
The project received 90/100 qualifying marks for coal linkage and obtained supplementary PPA (SPPA) approval from the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC).
On December 21, 2016, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) cancelled the project’s environmental clearance (EC), citing incomplete information about the site. The petition, filed by an environmental group, challenged the EIA report, which described the site as barren, while satellite and ground reports showed it was forested. The NGT directed the developer to restore the land.
Following the NGT’s decision, the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled the PPA. WEL applied for amendment in the EC in June 2017. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) deferred the proposal in its July 24, 2017 meeting. The NGT refused to review its order and rejected corrections to the original submission.
On June 5, 2024, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) secured a Rs 35,000 million contract from Adani Power Limited (APL) for supply of Boiler, Turbine, and Generator (BTG) equipment. On June 10, 2024, EAC recommended grant of Terms of Reference (ToR) for the project.
On March 28, 2025, Power Mech Projects Limited received a civil works contract worth Rs 4,250 million from Mirzapur Thermal Energy (UP) Private Limited. The scope includes civil and prefabricated steel works for BTG structures, powerhouse, control buildings, electrostatic precipitator (ESP), flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems, limestone handling plant (LHP), switchyard, ancillary facilities, and raw water reservoir (RWR). The execution period is 30 months.
The project has faced strong public opposition. On April 11, 2025, a public hearing was organised to seek community approval for the plant. However, local residents protested, alleging the hearing was fraudulent. They claimed that affected villagers were not informed and that a non-local crowd was brought in to simulate consent. They also raised concerns over the absence of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on public portals, non-disclosure in newspapers, and lack of outreach at the village level.
The hearing took place in Madihan, even though it was meant for residents of Deori Khurd, the directly impacted village. Among the attendees were local MLA Ramashankar Singh Patel, ADM Shiv Prasad Shukla, and representatives of the Adani Group. Despite claims of job creation and development, protestors noted that no discussion took place about environmental damage, deforestation, or water scarcity risks.
Residents also questioned why a public hearing was held when a case on illegal construction is still pending with the NGT. The next hearing is scheduled for May 23, 2025. A letter detailing irregularities has been submitted to the District Magistrate, Pollution Control Board, and other authorities.
The proposed project area falls in the environmentally sensitive Madihan forest range. In 2019, the Divisional Forest Officer recommended that this area be declared a Bear Conservation Reserve, but the state government has not acted on it. Local communities fear environmental degradation, a threat to wildlife, worsening water stress, and forced migration. These concerns mirror the issues raised in 2016 that led to the NGT’s cancellation of the original clearance for the Welspun Energy project.
Project details
Ownership: Private
Project type: Greenfield
Total cost: Rs 183 billion
Capacity: 1600 MW
Land required: 875 acres
Land composition: 853.74 acres barren land, 15.63 acres single crop agriculture, 5.44 acres water bodies, 0.19 acres human settlement
Land acquisition: Completed
Key consultants
J.M. EnviroNet Private Limited, Gurugram – EIA and EMP
WAPCOS Limited, Gurgaon – Area drainage study
Min Mec Consultancy Private Limited, Delhi – Geo-hydrology study
Xavier Institute of Development Action and Studies (XIDAS), Jabalpur – Need-based assessment
IIT Madras, Chennai – Seismic study
Aarvee Associates, Hyderabad – Railway siding feasibility
Key contractors
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), New Delhi – BTG supply – Rs 35,000 million
Power Mech Projects Limited – Civil and structural works – Rs 4,250 million
Cost revision history
2014: Rs 75,000 million
2017: Rs 109,560 million
2025 (latest): Rs 183,000 million
Cost escalation: Rs 108,000 million from 2014 baseline
Credit: Map from Adani Watch
