State-owned power producer NTPC Ltd is preparing to enter the coal gasification segment, targeting annual output of at least 5–10 million tonnes within the next three to four years, according to a senior company official. The cost of producing synthetic gas is projected at roughly USD 10–12 per million British thermal units. NTPC expects the pricing of its gas to remain competitive with the delivered cost of liquefied natural gas and anticipates no difficulty in securing buyers. The output will either be supplied to the domestic market or used in the company’s own facilities, with NTPC relying on its own coal for the process. The company is also considering appointing a technology consultant for the initiative and plans to issue tenders within the current financial year. To support coal gasification, the government has approved incentives worth Rs 85 billion, aimed at gasifying 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030. The coal gasification plan aligns with the government’s broader objective of increasing the share of natural gas in the national energy mix from 6 per cent to 15 per cent by 2030. Nuclear Expansion Strategy In parallel, NTPC is working towards its long-term target of at least 30 gigawatt of nuclear energy capacity by 2047. The company is scouting for land across 16 states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana, for new nuclear projects. Each plant is expected to have a capacity ranging between 700 megawatt and 1,600 megawatt, using pressurised heavy water reactor technology. NTPC recently entered the nuclear domain, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone in September for a 2,800 megawatt nuclear project in Banswara, Rajasthan. The project, developed jointly with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd, will comprise four reactors of 700 megawatt each. India aims to scale nuclear generation capacity to 100 gigawatt by 2047, up from the current 8 gigawatt.