India's largest power producer NTPC Ltd. is looking to bring back sub-critical coal generators able to run at low capacity, to accommodate more renewables in the grid.
The New-Delhi based firm is seeking vendors who could build plants of maximum 250 megawatts capacity, that could operate at as low as 25% of their potential, it said in an emailed statement on Friday.
Sub-critical technologies are widely seen as more polluting than their high-performing, but less resilient, counterparts. NTPC said it's looking for new-generation sub-critical units that could help in grid stability.
Inadequate hydropower, gas power and battery storage capacity have put the burden on the country's coal-fired fleet to operate flexibly, requiring it to reduce its output when clean energy is abundant. But state of the art ultra-supercritical plants deteriorate faster when they don't work at full capacity, and many operators are hesitant to run them below potential. That has led to the curtailment of solar power in times of low demand.
State-run NTPC's "entire thermal fleet is already operating at a technical minimum load of 55% during low demand periods," also participating in ancillary services to accommodate renewables, particularly during solar hours, according to the statement.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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