RIHAND is a 3,000 MW coal power station in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is operated by NTPC Limited. Based on reported annual generation of 21,254 GWh, it can supply roughly 6.1 million homes. It ranks #50 of 2,225 India power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2002, it is around 24 years old — relatively modern. In context, coal supplies about 70.8% of India's electricity; the national grid averages 670 gCO₂/kWh (26.7% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id IND0000375.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000102649; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 3,000 MW, RIHAND is well above the median coal plant in India (1,000 MW). Technically it is described as subcritical. Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 81%, from 21,254 GWh of reported generation; the median for 167 coal plants in India that report generation is 54%
- Generation trend
- 19,784 GWh in 2014 and 21,254 GWh in 2018 (+7%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2017: 22,019 GWh; 2015: 19,628 GWh
- Share of India coal capacity
- 0.4% of 805,419 MW across 713 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 93 of 354 dated coal plants in India are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by NTPC Limited.
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 24.0°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 97% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 15/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #47 largest coal power plant of 713 in India by capacity.
India has 713 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 805,419 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- SINGRAULI STPS · Coal · 2,000 MW · Madhya Pradesh
- VINDH_CHAL STPS · Coal · 4,760 MW · Madhya Pradesh
- SASAN UMPP · Coal · 3,960 MW · Madhya Pradesh
- Singrauli Solar Power Plant · Solar · 15 MW · Madhya Pradesh
- ANAPARA "C" · Coal · 1,200 MW · Madhya Pradesh
- ANPARA · Coal · 2,630 MW · Madhya Pradesh
Location
Coordinates 24.027, 82.7915 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is RIHAND?
RIHAND is a 3,000 MW coal power plant in Madhya Pradesh, India, commissioned in 2002.
How much electricity does RIHAND generate?
RIHAND generates about 21,254 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates RIHAND?
RIHAND is operated by NTPC Limited.