NALCO gets EAC nod to expand Angul power plant, greenbelt concerns flagged
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Thermal Projects has recommended the grant of Terms of Reference (ToR) for National Aluminium Company Limited’s (NALCO) proposal to expand its captive power plant at Angul, Odisha, from 1,200 MW to 2,280 MW. The Rs 11,313.47 crore project involves the installation of 4×270 MW sub-critical units.
The recommendation, however, comes with environmental concerns linked to the proposed removal of 94.78 hectares of existing greenbelt within the project site. The expansion would reduce green cover at the plant area from 63.8% to 38.36%, though this remains above the prescribed 33% requirement.
Greenbelt concerns
The EAC noted that existing greenbelt areas ideally should not be reduced if they were part of earlier environment clearance conditions. The committee nevertheless recommended the ToR after NALCO proposed compensatory plantation in ash pond areas and additional open land.
NALCO has proposed a total post-expansion greenbelt of 286.40 hectares, accounting for 42.22% of the total project area. Of this, 142.85 hectares would be within the plant area and 143.55 hectares around ash ponds.
The EAC directed the company to submit a detailed year-wise plantation plan. It specified that native species with a minimum height of 2 metres should be planted at a density of 2,500 trees per hectare, with 80% of plantation activity to be completed within the first five years.
Technology exemption
A key aspect of the proposal relates to the use of sub-critical technology. The Ministry of Power, through an Office Memorandum dated February 25, 2026, clarified that the earlier requirement mandating supercritical technology for new thermal capacity additions applies only to power generation utilities and not to captive power plants.
Based on this clarification, the EAC stated that NALCO could proceed with sub-critical technology for the brownfield captive power plant expansion.
The existing plant consists of 10×120 MW units, while the proposed addition will add 1,080 MW through 4×270 MW units, taking the total installed capacity to 2,280 MW.
Coal and water use
Following expansion, total coal requirement is estimated at 11.641 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), including 4.821 MTPA for the proposed units. Coal will be sourced from Mahanadi Coalfields Limited and NALCO’s Utkal D&E coal blocks through rail and road transport.
Water requirement after expansion is projected at 1,78,560 kilo litres per day (KLD), including 77,760 KLD for the new units. Water will continue to be sourced from the Brahmani River. The specific water consumption for the proposed units has been indicated at 3 m³/MWhr.
Ash management plan
NALCO informed the EAC that the project would focus on dry ash collection and evacuation, with High Concentration Slurry Disposal (HCSD) to be used only during emergencies. Total ash generation after expansion is estimated at 6.0 MTPA.
The company stated that only Ash Pond I, spread across 67.66 hectares, remains active for emergency or temporary slurry storage. Ash Pond II is under reclamation, while Ash Pond IV has already been capped. NALCO has targeted 100% ash utilisation through cement manufacturing, brick production and mine void filling.
The EAC directed the company to maintain a zero-discharge system for ash pond decanted water and install groundwater monitoring systems, including piezometers and stormwater management infrastructure.
Village proximity
The EAC highlighted the close proximity of nearby villages to the project site. Gotmara lies about 30 metres to the east, Amantapur 10 metres to the west, Kulad 50 metres to the south and Bonda 60 metres to the south.
To address local environmental impacts, the committee directed NALCO to develop a 50 metre-wide greenbelt buffer along village boundaries, install dry fog and water spray dust suppression systems, provide noise barriers and acoustic enclosures, and maintain a stack height of 275 metres for flue gas dispersion. Periodic health camps for nearby residents have also been mandated.
Forest land clarification
The EAC observed that the Decision Support System (DSS) indicated the possible presence of protected forest land within the project boundary. NALCO informed the committee that the land belongs to the company as per cadastral maps and stated that necessary clarification or no objection certificates would be obtained from the Forest Department before applying for environment clearance (EC).
Next stage
The ToR recommendation does not amount to final environment clearance. The EAC has ordered a site visit by a sub-committee before the project’s EC proposal is considered further. The findings of the visit will be incorporated into the final Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) reports.
NALCO has also been directed to obtain a certified compliance report for its existing EC from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) regional office, quantify the carbon sink potential of existing and proposed greenbelt areas, and install wind barriers with saplings of at least 2 metres height along village-facing boundaries.
The featured photograph is for representation only.
