Bhubaneswar: In a landmark development for Odisha’s energy sector, Odisha Coal & Power Ltd (OCPL) has become the first state-run entity in India to successfully secure a commercial coal block through the national auction process.
Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary Energy and Chairman, OCPL is happy over the success. The OCPL, a joint venture between the Government of Odisha and the Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC), was awarded the Tangaridhi North coal block in the Sundargarh district during the 12th tranche of auctions conducted by the Ministry of Coal.
The Tangaridhi North mine is a partially explored block with an estimated 1,100 million tonnes of G-13 grade coal reserves. Officials noted that approximately 400 million tonnes of high-quality coal are situated within a depth of 410 meters. The acquisition is a significant step towards bolstering the state’s energy security and is expected to provide a major boost to its economic growth.
The successful bid for the coal block was a result of a transparent and competitive bidding process. With this new addition, OCPL now holds three major coal blocks, including the Manoharpur and Dip Side of Manoharpur blocks, which currently supply coal to the Ib thermal power station.
According to company plans, OCPL intends to initially produce 16 million tonnes of coal annually from the new block, with a goal of ramping up production to 50 million tonnes per annum by 2030. This expansion is projected to generate an annual turnover of approximately ₹10,000 crore and create 2,500 direct and 3,000 indirect employment opportunities in the region, reaffirming OCPL’s growing role in the country’s coal mining and power generation ecosystem.