Parliament Question: Chausa Thermal Power Plant

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.81 ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026 CHAUSA THERMAL POWER PLANT †81. SHRI SUDHAKAR SINGH: Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state: (a) whether the Chausa Thermal Power Plant located in Buxar district of Bihar has been partially or completely shut down for different periods due to unavailability or disruption in coal supply and if so, the number of days this power plant has remained shut down due to shortage of coal since its inception; (b) the consolidated data for the Chausa Power Plant involving its installed capacity, actual generation Plant Load Factor (PLF), coal supply status and periods of shutdown till date; (c) whether the Government proposes to adopt any alternative arrangements to prevent a recurrence of the coal crisis such as long-term fuel supply agreements, coal blending or procurement from other sources in view of its crucial role in energy security of the State; and (d) if so, the current status thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? A N S W E R THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK) (a) : Buxar Thermal Power Plant (BTPP) of capacity 1320 MW (2x660 MW) located at Chausa, in the district of Buxar, Bihar is being implemented by SJVN Thermal Power Limited (STPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of SJVN Ltd which is a CPSE under the administrative control of Ministry of Power. Unit#1 (660 MW) of the project achieved Commercial Operation Date (COD) on 14.11.2025. After the COD, the ‘Unit” was kept in continuous operation to supply power to the State of Bihar and further, the shutdown was required for carrying out some work for stabilising the ‘Unit’ after completion of trial-run. Eventually, the ‘Unit’ was taken into shutdown for 20 days (from 15.12.2025 to 04.01.2026) to carry out required work. (b): The consolidated data for the Buxar Thermal Power Plant involving its installed capacity, actual generation (PLF), coal supply status and period of shut down are given as under:  Installed Capacity: Unit#1 (660 MW) commissioned on 14.11.2025 and Unit#2(660MW) is under construction. ……..2.- 2 -  Power Generation (14.11.2025 to 14.12.2025): 268.635 MUs at 55% PLF.  Power Generation (05.01.2026 to 16.01.2026): 91.235 MUs at 70% PLF.  Coal Supply: under the FSA (Fuel Supply Agreement) coal received from CCL (Central Coalfield Ltd) is 2,53,035 Metric Tonnes (as on 17.01.2026).  Period of shutdown: 15.12.2025 to 04.01.2026 (20 days). (c) & (d) STPL has signed fuel supply agreement (FSA) with Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) for supply of 4.976 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) coal per annum on long-term basis for 20 years at 85% PLF. As such, no alternative arrangement is required. Further, the Government of India has adopted a multi-pronged strategy involving infrastructure development, policy reforms and production enhancement in order to meet the requirement of coal for coal-based capacity. These measures include the following: i. Ministry of Coal has initiated several steps to ramp up domestic coal production in the country in order to achieve self-reliance. Some of the major initiatives undertaken include Single Window Clearance, amendment of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 to allow captive mines to sell up to 50% of their annual production after meeting the requirement of the end use plants, production through Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) mode, increasing use of mass production technologies, new projects and expansion of existing projects, and auction of coal blocks to private companies/PSUs for commercial mining. 100% Foreign Direct Investment has also been allowed in commercial mining. ii. The Government of India has approved the Revised SHAKTI (Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala Transparently in India) Policy for Coal Allocation to Power Sector. Revised SHAKTI Policy will support the power sector through greater flexibility, wider eligibility and better accessibility to coal. iii. Coal Logistic Plan and Policy was launched by the Ministry of Coal to enhance supply chain efficiency, reduce costs & promote sustainability. Under this plan, critical Railway projects have been identified, which are essential for improving rail connectivity, ensuring timely coal supply, and reducing logistics costs, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of coal transportation across the country. iv. To address the issue of coal supplies to Power Sector, an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has been constituted comprising the Chairman, Railway Board; Secretary, Ministry of Power and Secretary, Ministry of Coal. v. Coal supply is continuously monitored by the coal companies and also by an Inter-Ministerial ‘Sub-Group’ comprising the representatives from Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Railways, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) which meet regularly to take various operational decisions to enhance supply of coal to Thermal Power Plants. *********