Chandigarh, August 8, 2025 – The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a leading public interest think tank, has ranked Nabha Power Ltd’s (NPL) Rajpura Thermal Power Plant (TPP) as India’s best-performing supercritical coal-based thermal power plant in the below 800 MW capacity category for its lowest emission intensity.
About Nabha Power and the Rajpura Plant
NPL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), operates the Rajpura plant located in Punjab’s Patiala district. The facility comprises two supercritical units of 700 MW each, with a total installed capacity of 1,400 MW. Both units were commissioned in 2014 and continue to operate at high efficiency using domestic coal.
CSE Report Highlights
In its recent report, “Decarbonizing the Coal-based Thermal Power Sector in India: A Roadmap”, CSE evaluated emission intensity across all coal-based thermal power plants in India. The Rajpura plant emerged as a top performer, recording:
Emission factor: 0.84 tonne/MWh – well below the national average of 0.97 tonne/MWh.
Auxiliary power consumption rate: 4.62% – the lowest in the sector, meaning more generated electricity is available for supply rather than internal use.
CSE noted that these achievements set a benchmark for other coal-based plants to adopt operational improvements and modernisation measures for better efficiency and lower emissions.
Expert Observations
Parth Kumar, Programme Manager at CSE, commented:
“The benchmark set by Rajpura TPP nudges other coal-based TPPs to adopt operational and modernisation measures to improve emission intensity. Efficiency improvements in coal plants are key to reducing emissions in India’s power sector.”
Nabha Power’s Response
S K Narang, Chief Executive – NPL, said:
“This recognition by CSE is a proud moment for all of us at Nabha Power. It validates our relentless focus on operational efficiency, environmental responsibility, and best-in-class technologies. We remain committed to setting new benchmarks in sustainable power generation.”
L&T Leadership’s Statement
D K Sen, NPL Chairman and Advisor to the L&T CMD, congratulated the team:
“Rajpura power plant’s performance is a testament to L&T’s engineering excellence and unwavering commitment to sustainability. We are proud of the Nabha Power team for leading the way in clean and efficient thermal power generation.”
Commitment to Sustainability
The performance of the Rajpura plant aligns with L&T’s broader environmental goals:
Water neutrality by 2035
Carbon neutrality by 2040
These targets reflect the company’s strategy of combining engineering innovation with environmental stewardship.
