BIHAR : POWER SECTOR & ENERGY
1. Energy Mix of Bihar
- Coal is the primary energy source for thermal power generation in Bihar.
- Contribution to total installed power capacity:
- Coal-based Thermal Power: 83.5%
- Hydropower: 14.12%
- Renewable Energy: 2.3%
Prelims Angle: Percentage-based questions on energy mix.
2. Mineral Resources of Bihar
- Jamui District:
- Known for abundant bauxite reserves.
Exam Relevance: Bihar mineral mapping, GS-I Geography.
3. Barauni Thermal Power Station
- Location: Bihar
- Assistance: Built with Soviet Union (Russia) support
- Commissioned: 1962
Static + Current Link: Indo-Soviet cooperation in infrastructure.
4. Kanti Thermal Power Station / KBUNL
- Original Name: Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Station (MTPS)
- Commercial Operations Began: 1985
- Renovation & Restart: 2013–14
- Kanti Bijlee Utpadan Nigam Limited (KBUNL):
- Incorporated on 6 September 2006
- Joint venture initially
- Key Point for Exams:
- 1985 = Plant inception year
- 2006 = Company incorporation year
5. NTPC Limited (Static + Current Affairs)
- Established: 1975
- Status: India’s largest integrated power utility
- Role:
- Clean, reliable, and affordable energy
- Backbone of India’s thermal power generation
6. NTPC Auraiya
- Location: Dibiyapur
- District: Auraiya
- State: Uttar Pradesh
Frequently asked in matching-type questions.
7. NTPC Corporate Restructuring (2021 News)
- NTPC announced merger of wholly-owned subsidiaries:
- Nabinagar Power Generating Company Ltd
- Kanti Bijlee Utpadan Nigam Ltd
- Equity Acquisition Date: 29 June 2018
- 50% stake in Nabinagar
- 27.36% stake in KBUNL
- Both became 100% NTPC subsidiaries in 2018
8. Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project
- Operator: Nabinagar Power Generating Company Ltd
- Installed Capacity: 1,980 MW
- Location: Aurangabad district, Bihar
- Original Structure: 50:50 JV between NTPC & Bihar State Power Generation Company Ltd
9. Dagmara Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project
- Capacity: 130 MW
- River: Kosi
- Location: Dagmara, Supaul district, Bihar
- Status:
- Approved by Bihar Government
- Nature: Multipurpose hydroelectric project
GS-III: Water resources, flood control, renewable energy.
10. Political–Historical Reference
- Late Chandra Shekhar Singh
- Former Chief Minister of Bihar
- Related event at Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur (1984)
QUICK PRELIMS ONE-LINERS
- Coal dominates Bihar’s power generation with over 80% share.
- Jamui is a bauxite-rich district in Bihar.
- Barauni TPS is an example of Cold War era Indo-Soviet cooperation.
- Nabinagar STPP is among Bihar’s largest thermal power projects.
- Dagmara project reflects Bihar’s push towards hydropower diversification.
🏢 Power Institutions in Bihar
▪ Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited (BSPHCL)
– Established on 1 November 2013
– Formed after restructuring of Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB)
– BSEB was founded in 1958
– Responsible for generation, transmission & distribution
▪ Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA)
– Established in 1987
– Nodal agency for renewable energy development in Bihar