NTPC Advances 108-MW Great Nicobar Power Project as Mega Island Development Moves Toward Implementation

NTPC is moving ahead with a 108-MW gas-engine power project on Great Nicobar Island, providing one of the clearest indications that supporting infrastructure for India’s ambitious Great Nicobar development is progressing from planning towards implementation.

The state-owned power major’s tender records show that bidding for the principal 108 MW ±5 MW Engineering, Procurement and Construction package closed on September 8, 2026, while a separate package covering site-enabling works remains open until September 21.

The power project is intended to form part of the electricity infrastructure required to support the much larger development planned for Great Nicobar, including the proposed international container transshipment terminal at Galathea Bay, a greenfield international airport, new township and associated strategic infrastructure.

Complete 108-MW Power Plant Under EPC Package

NTPC originally issued the international competitive bidding invitation for the main project on June 6, 2026.

The EPC contractor will be responsible for the design, engineering, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of the complete gas-engine power station, including its civil works and associated systems.

The project is being tendered on a single-point responsibility basis, meaning the selected contractor will be responsible for delivering the complete operating facility rather than merely supplying individual generating units.

Major systems covered by the package include the gas engines, generators and excitation systems, engine exhaust and chimney systems, continuous emissions monitoring, cooling systems, gas and air intake systems, lubrication systems and associated plant infrastructure.

Engines Designed to Accept Hydrogen

One particularly noteworthy technical requirement is that the engines must be capable of operating with 20–25% hydrogen by volume.

This gives the plant a degree of future fuel flexibility and could allow part of its natural-gas consumption to be replaced by hydrogen if suitable supply infrastructure becomes available later.

The tender also specifies emissions-control requirements, including provisions to maintain nitrogen-oxide emissions below prescribed limits.

This makes the project more technologically significant than a conventional diesel-based island power station.

Site-Enabling Works Move in Parallel

NTPC has separately tendered a Site Enabling Works Package for the Great Nicobar Island Gas Engine Power Project, issued on August 22.

The tender is scheduled to close on September 21, 2026.

Running site preparation alongside procurement of the main generating plant indicates that NTPC is developing the supporting infrastructure needed for eventual construction rather than treating the project merely as a long-term concept.

NTPC’s tender archive also shows another package covering the 108-MW power project together with Substations 2 and 4 at Great Nicobar, whose bid process closed on September 1.

Together, the generating plant, substations and site-development packages point towards the gradual creation of an integrated electricity network for the new development area.

Part of Much Larger Great Nicobar Power Requirement

The 108-MW NTPC project should not be confused with the total eventual electricity requirement envisaged under the Great Nicobar master plan.

The Government’s May 2026 backgrounder describes the integrated project as ultimately including a 450-MVA gas-and-solar-based power system.

The 108-MW gas-engine facility therefore appears to represent an important initial generation component within a considerably larger power infrastructure programme that can expand as the port, airport and township are developed.

The government says reliable electricity is essential because Great Nicobar currently relies heavily on diesel generation, while the new infrastructure will require substantially greater and more dependable power supplies. Renewable generation is also intended to supplement the system.

Power for a Strategic Maritime Hub

India’s wider Great Nicobar Project envisages four major interconnected components: a 14.2-million-TEU International Container Transshipment Terminal, a greenfield international airport, the integrated power system and a new township spread across the development area.

Galathea Bay lies only around 40 nautical miles from the East-West international shipping route, one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.

The government has described the project as being of strategic, defence and national importance, arguing that it will strengthen India’s maritime presence in the Andaman Sea while reducing dependence on overseas transshipment hubs.

Reliable electricity will therefore be fundamental not only for residential development but also for port cranes and cargo handling, airport systems, logistics infrastructure, communications, water treatment and other critical facilities.

From Master Plan to Ground-Level Infrastructure

For several years, much of the attention surrounding Great Nicobar has focused on environmental approvals, strategic considerations and the proposed Galathea Bay port.

NTPC’s latest procurement activity provides a different indicator of progress.

With the main 108-MW EPC bidding process now closed, site-enabling works under procurement and associated substation infrastructure also being developed, one of the project’s essential utility components is beginning to take tangible shape.

The next important milestone will be the selection of contractors and movement from procurement into actual site development and construction.

Once implemented, the 108-MW gas-engine station could become one of the first major pieces of operational infrastructure supporting India’s planned transformation of Great Nicobar into a new maritime, aviation and strategic hub.