Thermal power plants contribute the largest proportion of electricity into the national power grid of India. There are three kinds of thermal power plants in India with a total installed capacity of 221,802.59 MW. It is important to know about these for the UPSC syllabus on Geography as well as some parts of the Economy syllabus. In this article, we will discuss the various types of thermal power plants in India and their locations.
To know more about UPSC Geography, check out:
| Geography Notes For UPSC |
Thermal Power Plants In India (UPSC Notes):- Download PDF Here
Types of Thermal Power Plants
As the name suggests, thermal power plants generate electricity by using heat from a fuel source. The heat usually generates steam in a boiler which is then used to run a steam turbine connected to a generator. They are classified according to the heat source as follows:
- Coal-Fired
- Gas
- Diesel or Liquid fuel
- Geothermal
- Biomass
- Waste Material
India mainly uses three types of thermal power plants which are listed below along with their installed capacity as of January 2021:
- Coal: 206404.50 MW
- Gas: 24956.51 MW
- Liquid Fuel(Diesel): 509.71 MW
The total capacity of thermal power plants as on January 31, 2021, all across India is  231870.72 MW.
The electricity generated by these plants adds up to 71% of the total power generation in the country.
List of Thermal Power Plants in India
The following table gives a list of major thermal plants in India, state-wise:
| State | Thermal Power Plant |
| Madhya Pradesh | Amarkantak Thermal Power Plant |
| Satpura Thermal Power Plant | |
| Sanjay Gandhi, Birsinghpur Thermal Power Plant | |
| Shri Singaji Thermal Power Station Dongalia | |
| Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station | |
| Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station | |
| Maharashtra | Amravati Thermal Power plant |
| Chandrapur Thermal Power plant | |
| Khaperkheda Thermal Power plant | |
| Tiroda Thermal Power plant | |
| Chandrapur Thermal Power plant | |
| Solapur Super Thermal Power Station | |
| Mauda Super Thermal Power Plant | |
| Uttar Pradesh | Anpara Thermal Power plant |
| Dadri Thermal Power plant | |
| Feroz Gandhi Unchahar Thermal Power plant | |
| National Capital Thermal Power plant | |
| Obra Thermal Power plant | |
| Rihand Super Thermal Power plant | |
| Rosa Thermal Power plant | |
| Bihar | Barauni Thermal Power Station |
| Patratu Thermal Power Station | |
| Khalgaon Super Thermal Power Project | |
| Karnataka | Raichur Thermal Power station |
| Bellary Thermal Power station | |
| Yermarus Thermal Power Station | |
| Udupi Thermal Power plant | |
| Chhattisgarh | Sipat Thermal Power Plant |
| Lara Super Thermal Power Plant | |
| Korba Thermal Power Plant | |
| Bhilai Thermal Power Plant | |
| Jharkhand | Bokaro Thermal Power plant |
| Patratu Thermal Power plant | |
| Rajasthan | Chhabra Thermal Power plant |
| Kalisindh Thermal Power plant | |
| Kota Thermal Power plant | |
| Suratgarh Super Thermal Power Plant | |
| Barsingsar Thermal Power Station | |
| Anta Thermal Power Station | |
| Ramgarh Gas Thermal Power Station | |
| West Bengal | Durgapur Thermal Power plant |
| Farakka Thermal Power plant | |
| Mejia Thermal Power Station | |
| Kolaghat Thermal Power Station | |
| Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station | |
| Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station | |
| Budge Budge Thermal Power Plant | |
| Sagardighi Thermal Power Station | |
| Tamil Nadu | Ennore Thermal Power plant |
| Mettur Thermal Power plant | |
| Neyveli Thermal Power Station | |
| Tuticorin Thermal Power Station | |
| IND Barath Thermal Power Plant | |
| Gujarat | Gandhinagar Thermal Power plant |
| Mudra Thermal Power plant | |
| Sikka Thermal Power plant | |
| Ukai Thermal Power plant | |
| Wanakbori Thermal Power plant | |
| Akrimota Thermal Power Station | |
| Kutch Lignite Thermal Power Station | |
| Sabarmati Thermal Power Station | |
| Odisha | Hirakud Captive Thermal Power plant |
| Jharsuguda Thermal Power plant | |
| Talcher Thermal Power plant | |
| Andhra Pradesh | Ramagundam Thermal Power plant |
| Simhadri Thermal Power plant | |
| Assam | Namrup Thermal Power Plant |
The major factors taken into consideration while locating a thermal power plant are:
- Terrain
- Availability of Fuel and Water
- Proximity to population centres.
- Accessibility
UPSC aspirants should study these factors in detail as a part of the human and economic geography of the country. They are especially important for the Prelims exam. Questions about power generation and distribution in India can be found in UPSC previous years papers.
Thermal Power Plants In India (UPSC Notes):- Download PDF Here
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