Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Talabira II & III coal mine has achieved its highest-ever annual production, strengthening the state’s contribution to India’s domestic coal supply and energy security.
The NLC India-operated opencast mine, spread across Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts, produced 19.14 Million Tonnes (MT) of coal in FY 2025-26. This was an 11.28% increase over the previous year, according to an official statement.
The mine also recorded its highest-ever daily production of 1,26,138.07 tonnes on March 21, 2026. Its monthly output reached a record 3.39 MT in March.
Coal dispatch also reached a new high during the financial year. Talabira II & III dispatched 17.69 MT of coal, including around 10.72 MT to the power sector and 6.97 MT to the non-regulated sector.
The mine supplies coal to several power plants across India. These include NTPC Darlipali in Odisha, along with power facilities in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
The mine has maintained strong growth since production began. Its cumulative coal production reached 72.23 MT, while cumulative dispatch stood at 70.89 MT as of August 14, 2026.
Technology has also helped improve the efficiency of operations at Talabira II & III. Its Digital Logistics Management System uses RFID-based vehicle verification, AI-enabled cameras, and technology-based entry and exit gates to monitor coal transportation and dispatch.
The system has reduced average vehicle processing time at the entry gate from 1.42 minutes to 0.54 minutes. Tare weighment time has also fallen from 1.34 minutes to 0.48 minutes per vehicle.
The Odisha mine uses several other technologies, including GPS-based fleet management, geo-fencing, drone surveys and 3D terrestrial laser scanning. Surface miners with dust-suppression systems and continuous air-quality monitoring stations are also deployed.
Environmental measures include plantation across 23.43 hectares within the mine lease and 29.48 hectares outside it. More than 1.29 lakh plants have been covered under these plantation activities.
The mine has also installed 11.68 kW of solar power capacity. Solar lighting has been provided in nearby villages and within mine infrastructure.
Safety has remained another major focus. The mine has recorded no fatal accidents since its inception. It has also received a Five-Star Rating under the Ministry of Coal’s Star Rating Evaluation for five consecutive years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
Talabira II & III also support local employment and livelihoods. The project provides 3,277 employment opportunities, including 1,277 direct jobs and around 2,000 indirect opportunities through transportation and allied activities.
Its community initiatives cover healthcare, drinking water, education, rural infrastructure, sports, solar lighting, and livelihood development. CSR expenditure stood at ₹5.32 crore in FY 2025-26.
Another Rs 4.20 crore was spent between April and July 2026 on initiatives covering drinking water, healthcare, solar lighting, school and Anganwadi infrastructure, rural roads, and community facilities.
Allocated to NLC India Ltd. in 2016 under the Nominated Authority framework, Talabira II & III has emerged as a major coal-producing mine in Odisha. Its record production and dispatch underline the growing role of the state’s coal resources in supporting India’s energy security.
