New Delhi: As India works towards becoming a developed economy by 2047, reliable and sustainable power is emerging as a key requirement for economic growth. NLC India Limited (NLCIL) is pursuing a diversified energy strategy that combines baseload power, responsible mining expansion and large-scale renewable energy development.
A Navratna enterprise under the Ministry of Coal, NLCIL currently has an existing power generation capacity of 8,405 MW and mining capacity of 59.10 MTPA.
The company is also expanding beyond its traditional mining operations, with plans covering renewable energy, battery storage, pumped storage, green hydrogen, carbon capture and strategic minerals.
NLC India Focuses on Energy Security and Capacity Expansion
Coal and lignite continue to provide baseload support to India’s power system. NLCIL is therefore planning to expand its mining capacity while adopting more efficient generation technologies and improving the movement of mined fuel.
The company’s mining expansion targets include:
- 59.1 MTPA currently to 104.35 MTPA by 2030
- Further expansion to 115.85 MTPA by 2047
- Focus on supporting domestic energy requirements and reducing dependence on imports
Alongside mining expansion, NLCIL is developing high-efficiency thermal power projects designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions intensity.
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High-Efficiency Thermal Projects to Support Baseload Power
NLCIL is pursuing High-Efficiency, Low-Emission (HELE) generation technologies as part of its transition towards more efficient thermal power.
The planned and ongoing projects include:
- Ghatampur: 1,980 MW supercritical thermal power project
- Talabira: 2,400 MW ultra-supercritical pit-head thermal power project
- Machhakatta: 4,000 MW ultra-supercritical pit-head thermal power project
The company says these technologies can help reduce specific coal consumption and emissions compared with less efficient thermal generation.
The projects are intended to combine continued baseload energy availability with improvements in generation efficiency.
First Mile Connectivity to Improve Coal Transportation
NLCIL is also strengthening logistics through First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects.
The company plans to commission 63.5 MTPA of FMC capacity across multiple locations, including:
- Pachwara South
- North Dhadu (West)
- Talabira
- Machhakatta
- New Patrapara (South)
The FMC rail corridors are aimed at reducing dependence on road transportation for moving mined fuel. This is expected to improve logistics efficiency while reducing transportation-related emissions and oil consumption.
NLCIL Targets More Than 10 GW Renewable Capacity by 2030
Alongside its thermal and mining operations, NLCIL is expanding its renewable energy portfolio through its dedicated green-energy arm, NLCIL Renewables Limited (NIRL).
The company plans to increase its operational renewable portfolio from around 1.8 GW to more than 10 GW by 2030.
Its longer-term target is to scale renewable capacity to 32.7 GW by 2047.
According to the company’s stated roadmap, the expansion is intended to establish a 50% clean-energy mix in its generation portfolio well ahead of the targeted timeline.
Battery Storage Projects Planned Across Four States
Energy storage is a key component of NLCIL’s renewable energy expansion as the company looks to address the intermittent nature of renewable generation.
Several Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects are under development:
- Tamil Nadu: 250 MW / 500 MWh
- Rajasthan: 300 MW / 1,800 MWh with SECI
- Gujarat: 275 MW / 550 MWh with GUVNL
- West Bengal: 50 MW / 200 MWh with WBSEDL
These projects are intended to provide storage capacity alongside renewable generation and support greater flexibility in the power system.
Pumped Storage Projects Planned in Tamil Nadu and Odisha
NLCIL is also targeting large-scale Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) in Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
Pumped storage can provide large-scale energy storage and help balance fluctuations in renewable generation. The company’s planned investments in this area form part of its broader strategy to build an integrated clean-energy portfolio.
NLC India Explores Green Hydrogen and Carbon Capture
NLCIL is diversifying into emerging low-carbon technologies, including green hydrogen and carbon capture.
The company is constructing a pilot 4 MW solar-powered PEM electrolyser-based green hydrogen plant at Neyveli.
NLCIL is also partnering with IIT Madras on advanced Carbon Capture Systems, supporting its efforts to explore technologies that could reduce emissions from industrial and energy operations.
Strategic Minerals Push to Support Domestic Supply Chains
NLCIL is also expanding its focus beyond conventional energy resources through strategic mineral exploration.
The company has secured domestic composite exploration licences for:
- Phosphorite and limestone in Chhattisgarh
- Vanadium and titanium in Telangana
It is also pursuing international opportunities in critical minerals through Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL).
The strategic mineral initiatives are aimed at supporting India’s efforts towards greater resource security and reducing vulnerabilities arising from global supply-chain disruptions.
NLC India Aligns Growth with Aatmanirbhar Bharat
NLCIL’s overall strategy combines conventional energy security with renewable energy expansion and emerging low-carbon businesses.
The company is simultaneously pursuing:
- Expansion of mining capacity
- High-efficiency thermal power generation
- Large-scale renewable energy
- Battery and pumped storage
- Green hydrogen
- Carbon capture technologies
- Strategic mineral exploration
Through this diversified approach, NLC India is seeking to support India’s energy requirements in the near term while building new businesses aligned with the country’s longer-term decarbonisation and Aatmanirbhar Bharat objectives.
About NLC India Limited
NLC India Limited (NLCIL) is a Navratna company under the Ministry of Coal, Government of India. The company has traditionally been associated with lignite mining and power generation and is now expanding into renewable energy, energy storage, green hydrogen, carbon capture and strategic mineral exploration. NLCIL’s stated growth strategy focuses on supporting India’s energy security while increasing its presence in emerging low-carbon energy and industrial sectors.
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