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Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has landed a ₹13,000–15,000 crore order from MPPGCL to build two supercritical thermal power plants in Madhya Pradesh. The stock gained 2% following the update.
The deets: the package covers 1x660 MW Amarkantak Unit 6 and 1x660 MW Satpura Unit 12, with EPC scope including equipment supply, civil works, erection, and commissioning.
Together, the Amarkantak Unit 6 and Satpura Unit 12 can generate 1,320 MW of coal-based power, enough to light up millions of homes in the state.
Why it matters: MP has been ramping up thermal capacity in recent years with projects like Adani’s 800 MW Anuppur plant and Torrent’s 1,600 MW project.
Adding another 1,320 MW through BHEL is critical as renewables expand but remain weather-dependent. The new plants will plug into MP’s expanding inter-state transmission network, allowing surplus power to flow to high-demand states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
Zoom out: supercritical thermal power plants are the new workhorses of India’s coal fleet. They run at much higher pressure and temperature than older units, which makes them more efficient.
Today, India has over 100,000 MW of supercritical capacity, and nearly every fresh coal project is based on it. Think of them as a bridge technology, not as clean as solar or wind, but far better than the old subcritical plants, ensuring reliable baseload power while renewables scale up.
