NTPC to Invest ₹10k Cr in Chhattisgarh Coal-to-Gas Plant

NTPC has announced plans to set up a large coal-to-synthetic natural gas (SNG) project at Talaipalli in Chhattisgarh, with an estimated investment of around ₹10,000 crore.

The facility will utilise high-ash Indian coal from NTPC’s captive mines, converting it into synthetic natural gas through coal beneficiation, gasification, water-gas shift, and methanation processes. The plant is expected to produce approximately five lakh tonnes of SNG annually, consuming nearly 25 lakh tonnes of coal each year across a 150-acre site. NTPC is in the process of finalising technology partnerships, including with international firms, with the process configuration expected to be finalised by the last quarter of FY26.

Engineers India is supporting project development, while NTPC’s R&D arm, NETRA, is leading the initiative under its “greening the coal” strategy. The project aims to reduce dependence on imported natural gas and enable cleaner utilisation of domestic coal, with potential downstream applications in fuels, fertilisers, and petrochemicals over time.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.