The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MahaGenco) is considering the replacement of six outdated thermal power plants with a single 2x660 MW coal-based Supercritical Thermal Power Plant in Koradi. While MahaGenco argues that the new units in Koradi are part of an expansion project, environmental activists question the decision to concentrate all plants in Nagpur instead of retiring sites.

MahaGenco aims to decommission two thermal plants in Parli, two in Chandrapur, and one each in Koradi and Bhusawal, replacing them with a single power plant in Koradi. However, this consolidation has raised concerns among environmental activists who claim that concentrating the generation capacity in Nagpur will result in higher pollution levels, both in the city and rural areas. The disposal of fly-ash is particularly troubling, exacerbating the existing environmental crisis.

Green activist Dinesh Naidu expressed opposition to the proposed power plant at Koradi, highlighting the existing pollution issues caused by the 2,190 MW thermal power plant already operating there. With the addition of the 1,320 MW project, Naidu emphasized the potential detrimental impact on Nagpur's environment. The city has already experienced a significant increase in temperatures, indicating climate change effects. The opposition argues that the new thermal power plant would further worsen the situation, affecting the well-being of the population.

Over the past two decades, Nagpur's urban expansion has enveloped the Koradi thermal power plant, which now falls within the city limits. The pollution generated by the plant directly affects the residents of Nagpur, including the emerging suburbs such as Zingabai Talki, Godhani, Mahadula, and surrounding areas. With nearly one lakh people residing in these newly developed residential localities, the impact of pollution from the thermal power plant is a pressing concern.

The Government of Maharashtra declared in 2021 that no new thermal power plants would be established in the state, a fact that MahaGenco should be aware of. It is also acknowledged that obtaining environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for a new thermal power plant involves extensive paperwork and time. Activists, therefore, question MahaGenco's decision to proceed with the proposed 2x660 MW plant in Koradi instead of considering alternative locations to replace their old units. The concern lies in the potential increase in pollution that the new plant will bring, as it replaces a smaller 200 MW unit with a much larger capacity.