NTPC Nabinagar Stage II: 2,400 MW buildout timeline

Why Nabinagar Stage II matters for NTPC’s pipeline

NTPC is expanding its Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project in Bihar with Stage II capacity of 2,400 MW (3x800 MW). The project sits alongside a wider construction pipeline that includes multiple large thermal stations across states and a smaller set of hydro projects. NTPC has also been adding renewable capacity through its subsidiaries, lifting the group’s installed and commercial capacity to 85,541 MW after recent solar commissioning declarations. Separately, NTPC officials have spoken about evaluating nuclear project locations in several states, while the company is already setting up a nuclear project in Rajasthan through a joint venture with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL). The mix of coal-based expansion, renewables execution, and early-stage nuclear planning highlights how NTPC is managing near-term capacity needs while broadening its generation portfolio.

Snapshot: thermal and hydro projects under construction

The provided project list shows NTPC-owned thermal capacity under construction across Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana. It also includes two NTPC-owned hydro projects under construction in Uttarakhand and West Bengal. This pipeline is part of the company’s stated additional capacity under construction, which it has described as 32 GW including renewable capacity.

Projects under planning: what’s disclosed

The planning tables include several NTPC projects and a separate list for JV/subsidiaries. Named NTPC projects under planning include Lara-III (1,600 MW) in Chhattisgarh, TTPP-IV (800 MW) in Odisha, and Barauni-III (800 MW) in Bihar. The JV/subsidiary planning list includes Bhillai Exp. (800 MW) in Chhattisgarh, BRBCL-II (800 MW) in Bihar, and Jhabua Exp. (800 MW) in Madhya Pradesh. The combined grand total under planning for NTPC plus JV and subsidiary companies is listed as 5,600 MW.

Nabinagar Stage I: the operating base in Bihar

Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project is described as an operating power station of at least 1,980 MW in Majhiyan and Ankorha, Nabinagar, Aurangabad, Bihar, with multiple units. Unit-level ownership and operator details list Units 1 to 6 as owned by NTPC Ltd at 100%. The station was proposed by Nabinagar Power Generating Company (NPGC), described as a joint venture of NTPC and the Bihar State Electricity Board, and the proposed plant location is noted as Majhiyan and Ankorha villages near Nabinagar.

NTPC has also disclosed that Unit-3 of its 3x660 MW Nabinagar plant in Bihar started commercial operations, and that with full commissioning of the three 660 MW units, the first phase of the project became fully operational. Reporting cited that Bihar would receive 84.8% of the electricity from Unit-3, with an allocation of 559 MW, while the rest would be shared by Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Sikkim.

Nabinagar Stage II: approvals, bidding, and cost

Stage II is planned as three ultra-supercritical units of 800 MW each, adding 2,400 MW. In the Expert Appraisal Committee’s (EAC) February 2024 meeting minutes, it was noted that NTPC applied for Terms of Reference (ToR) for the expansion project of three 800 MW units at Nabinagar. The EAC recommended the grant of ToR, and the ToR was formally granted on April 15, 2024.

In June 2024, NTPC published a notice for the EPC package bidding process of Phase II, planned for July 2024. In August 2024, NTPC issued a tender covering design, engineering, manufacture, supply, construction, erection, testing, and commissioning for Nabinagar STPP Phase II. Reporting in November 2024 said NTPC approved an estimated investment proposal of INR 29,947.91 crore for the expansion Phase II (Stage II). EAC minutes for February 2025 noted the committee recommended grant of environmental clearance (EC), and the EC was formally granted on February 28, 2025.

Timeline: Nabinagar Stage II milestones disclosed so far

Renewables update: recent solar COD declarations

NTPC declared a commercial capacity addition of 359.58 MW through various solar projects of its subsidiaries in Gujarat and Rajasthan, taking the group commercial capacity to over 85.5 GW. It declared COD of 243.66 MW out of the 1,255 MW Khavda-1 Solar PV project in Gujarat under NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd, a step-down subsidiary through NGEL. NTPC also declared COD of 37.925 MW out of 300 MW at Khavda Solar Energy Project under the 450 MW Hybrid Tranche V project in Gujarat of NTPC REL. Following these declarations, NTPC said the total installed and commercial capacity of the NTPC group reached 85,541 MW.

Nuclear plans: capacities under evaluation and an ongoing JV

A senior NTPC official said the company plans to set up nuclear power projects with capacities of 700 MW, 1,000 MW, and 1,600 MW across various locations. Land options are being evaluated in multiple states, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh. NTPC is also setting up a nuclear project in Rajasthan through a joint venture with NPCIL, with an investment of about INR 42,000 crore.

Separately, NTPC has announced plans to establish a nuclear energy project in Bihar and has requested the Bihar state government to allocate a suitable land parcel, with site selection and feasibility studies to be conducted before moving forward. Updates shared alongside this included that a 2,400 MW power project work has commenced under Nabinagar Power Generating Company Ltd (NPGCL), described as a joint venture between NTPC and Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd.

Broader sector context: thermal additions and the UP project milestone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Nabinagar Stage II in Bihar and dedicated to the nation a 660 MW unit (Unit I) of the Ghatampur Thermal Power Project (3x660 MW) in Uttar Pradesh. The two projects were described as part of India’s plan to add around 80 GW of thermal power capacity by 2032 to meet increasing power demand.

The 2,400 MW Nabinagar Stage II project cost was cited as over INR 29,930 crore in one account, and as worth over INR 29,948 crore in another. NTPC already operates Nabinagar Station-I at 1,980 MW. For Ghatampur, the Ministry of Coal described the project as a flagship initiative by Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd (NUPPL), a collaboration of NLC India Limited (51%) and UPRVUNL (49%). The total project cost for Ghatampur was stated as INR 21,780.94 crore, with the remaining two units expected to be commissioned by FY 2025-26. It also cited land acquisition of 998.81 hectares and power purchase agreement coverage of 1,487.28 MW (75.12%) with Uttar Pradesh and 492.72 MW (24.88%) with Assam, subject to the stated equity-transfer condition.

Market impact: what these disclosures change for investors

For NTPC watchers, the disclosures tighten visibility on a few key areas: the commissioning pipeline, large-ticket capex in thermal, and execution signals in renewables. Nabinagar Stage II alone adds 2,400 MW and carries an estimated cost of INR 29,947.91 crore per the reported investment approval, with ToR and EC already granted and an operating timeline indicated for 2029-2030 in the broad status update. At the group level, recent solar COD declarations of 359.58 MW help explain how NTPC reached 85,541 MW of installed and commercial capacity, while indicating incremental progress at large sites like Khavda.

The thermal and hydro list under construction provides a state-wise spread of projects and capacities, while the “under planning” grand total of 5,600 MW offers a measurable view of near-term intent beyond the construction pipeline. Nuclear remains earlier in the cycle for most locations, but the Rajasthan JV investment figure of about INR 42,000 crore and the stated capacity bands (700 MW to 1,600 MW) establish the scale being considered.

Conclusion

NTPC’s latest project disclosures show a pipeline anchored by large thermal additions, steady renewable commissioning through subsidiaries, and early-stage nuclear evaluation across multiple states. For Nabinagar Stage II, approvals and procurement activity are already on record, with unit operations indicated for 2029 and 2030 in the broad status report. The next concrete markers to track will be further EPC execution updates and any revised progress reporting for Phase II, alongside additional COD announcements from NTPC’s renewable portfolio.