Cabinet committee on Economic Affairs greenlights coal-to-energy projects
Jan 24, 2024
New Delhi [India], January 24 : In a move towards advancing India's energy landscape, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given the nod to equity investments for two transformative projects.
According to a Cabinet press release, the first project involves Coal India Limited's (CIL) collaboration with GAIL for the establishment of a Coal-to-Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) Plant at the Sonepur Bazari Area in West Bengal.
The second project entails a joint venture between CIL and BHEL for the creation of a Coal-to-Ammonium Nitrate Plant in the Lakhanpur Area in Odisha.
For the Coal-to-SNG Project, CIL is set to invest Rs 1,997.08 Crore with a debt-equity ratio of 70:30. The estimated project cost stands at Rs 13,052.81 Crore.
Similarly, for the Coal-to-Ammonium Nitrate Project, CIL will invest Rs 1,802.56 Crore with a debt-equity ratio of 70:30, and the projected cost is Rs 11,782.05 Crore. The equity investment by CIL in both projects will be 51 per cent, ensuring a significant stake in the joint ventures.
These ventures are part of CIL's commitment to achieving 100 MT coal gasification by 2030, aligning with India's objectives of self-reliance and energy independence.
The projects are strategically located in the command areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), contributing to regional development.
Manish Desai, Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau, emphasized the significance of the Cabinet's decision through a post on X, "#Cabinet approves equity investment by (i) CIL for setting up of Coal-to-SNG Project at ECL command area through a JV of CIL & GAIL (ii) for setting up of Coal-to-Ammonium Nitrate Project at MCL command area through a JV of CIL & BHEL #cabinetdecisions".
