Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal Reviews Power Sector in Odisha

Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, visited Bhubaneswar today and held a detailed review meeting with senior officials of the Government of Odisha on the state’s power sector development.

The discussions covered key issues, including fly ash utilization, capacity addition, transmission infrastructure, and power allocation.

Addressing the issue of achieving fly ash utilization targets, Shri Manohar Lal assured that a joint meeting with the Ministries of Coal, Environment, and Railways would be convened to comprehensively address the matter, including the provision of adequate rail rakes for long-distance transportation of fly ash.

Highlighting the need to meet the growing power demand, the State Government informed that Odisha currently has 20 GW of operational coal-based thermal power capacity, with an additional 10 GW in the pipeline, expected to be commissioned over the next 5–6 years. The Union Minister encouraged the development of more pit-head thermal power plants in Odisha, including joint ventures with GENCOs from other states.

On the transmission front, Odisha shared its intra-state planning strategy and recent progress in strengthening the power supply to cities like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The Hon’ble Minister was also briefed on the steps taken by Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) to resolve Right of Way (RoW) issues. He informed that the proposal for establishing a Green Energy Corridor within Odisha’s intrastate transmission network would be taken up by MNRE after March 31, 2025, following the completion of the compilation process.

Regarding the inclusion of Odisha in the next phase of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), the Union Minister assured that the matter would be appropriately considered. On power allocation, he stated that Odisha would receive adequate power from Phase-II of NLCIL’s Talabira Thermal Power Project, in accordance with Ministry of Power guidelines.

The visit underscores the Centre’s commitment to strengthening Odisha’s power infrastructure and facilitating sustainable growth in the energy sector.