24 abandoned mines identified to take up pump storage projects

Coal Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, speaking to Telangana Today, said CIL and NLC India Limited (NLC) (formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited), were conducting feasibility studies on pump storage projects.

Hyderabad: The Ministry of Coal is initiating Pump Storage Projects (PSP) in de-coaled coal mines to diversify energy sources. Coal India Limited (CIL) has identified 24 abandoned mines and other sites to take up these projects in coal belts of the country.

Coal Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, speaking to Telangana Today, said CIL and NLC India Limited (NLC) (formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited), were conducting feasibility studies on pump storage projects. So far, they had identified about 24 abandoned mines to take up PSPs. Stakeholder consultations were ongoing to finalize business models like Engineering, Procurement and Construction(EPC) and public-private partnership (PPP), with plans for collaboration with State governments, private players, and research institutions, he said.

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The aim of the initiative was to utilize solar energy for hydroelectricity, promoting sustainable development in the coal sector, Amrit Lal Meena said, adding that de-coaled mines offered viable sites for PSPs due to the availability of a lower reservoir, water head, and land. “Through pump storage projects, it is planned to utilize solar energy to develop hydroelectricity promoting sustainable development in the coal sector. This initiative aims to harness solar energy during the day and generation of hydro-electricity at night,”he explained.

Under PSP, all coal mines, where coal has been evacuated and water was there, would be turned into reservoirs after studying their feasibility, he said, adding that private players should venture into this field since it would prove profitable for them.

According to the Coal Ministry, there were about 200 de-coaled mines with huge land area available in coal producing areas of the country and many of these mines were feasible for PSPs as lower reservoirs, head of water and land were available.

Pumped storage power plants use gravity to generate electricity using water that has previously been pumped from a reservoir in the pit into an upper reservoir at the surface. During periods of low demand, the water is pumped into the higher reservoir and when demand is high, the water is released to drive a turbine in a power house and feed electricity into the grid.

CPI(M) to hold protests

In order to exert pressure on the Centre to handover the Koyagudem and Sattupalli mines to the SCCL, the CPI(M) State unit has decided to hold protests across State on June 28 and 29. CPI(M) State Secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram demanded the Centre to cancel the auction and hand over the two mines directly to Singareni.

Accusing the BJPled NDA government of handing over precious minerals to private companies, he alleged that through the auction of coal blocks, the BJP was trying to privatise the Singareni.