The southern tip of Uttar Pradesh — Sonbhadra — is sometimes called the energy capital of India. Around the Rihand reservoir and the Singrauli coalfield, which straddles UP and Madhya Pradesh, a cluster of massive thermal power plants supplies electricity to much of north India. The rest of UP, being mostly alluvial plain, has few minerals. Understanding this contrast is essential for GS VI.
Why UP has few minerals
- About three-quarters of UP is the Ganga plain, made of alluvium — rich for farming but with few economic minerals.
- Minerals are found in the southern plateau — the Vindhyan, Kaimur and Bundelkhand rocks of Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Chitrakoot, Banda, Jhansi and Lalitpur.
Minerals by district
| Mineral | District(s) | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | Sonbhadra (part of the Singrauli coalfield) | Thermal power |
| Limestone | Sonbhadra, Mirzapur | Cement (e.g., cement plants at Churk, Dalla and Chunar) |
| Sandstone | Mirzapur (Chunar) | Building stone — historically used in Ashokan pillars and many monuments |
| Silica sand | Prayagraj (Shankargarh), Banda, Chitrakoot | Glass industry (Firozabad) |
| Pyrophyllite and diaspore | Jhansi, Lalitpur, Hamirpur | Ceramics, refractories |
| Rock phosphate | Lalitpur | Fertiliser |
| Granite | Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba | Building stone |
| Sand and morrum | Riverbeds (Ken, Betwa, Yamuna, Ganga) | Construction — a source of revenue and of illegal mining |
| Gold / other | Sonbhadra | Surveys have reported gold and other mineral deposits; their extent has been disputed |
Energy
Thermal power
| Plant | District | Operator (broadly) |
|---|---|---|
| Anpara | Sonbhadra | UP state (UPRVUNL) and private |
| Obra | Sonbhadra | UP state |
| Rihand | Sonbhadra | NTPC |
| Singrauli | Sonbhadra | NTPC |
| Harduaganj | Aligarh | UP state |
| Parichha | Jhansi | UP state |
| Panki | Kanpur | UP state |
| Tanda | Ambedkar Nagar | NTPC |
| Unchahar | Rae Bareli | NTPC |
| Dadri | Gautam Buddh Nagar | NTPC (coal and gas) |
| Lalitpur, Bara, Ghatampur and others | Various | Newer plants |
Most of UP's electricity comes from coal.
Nuclear
- Narora Atomic Power Station (Bulandshahr) — on the Ganga, near the Narora barrage; operated by NPCIL.
Hydro
- Rihand (Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar) and Obra in Sonbhadra; small hydro on canals.
- UP lost most of its Himalayan hydropower potential when Uttarakhand was created in 2000.
Renewable energy
| Source | Details |
|---|---|
| Solar | Large solar parks in Bundelkhand (Jhansi, Lalitpur, Jalaun, Chitrakoot), where land is less fertile and sunshine abundant; rooftop solar in cities |
| Bioenergy | Compressed biogas from agricultural residue; sugar mills' bagasse cogeneration; ethanol from sugarcane |
| Policy | UP's solar energy policy and bioenergy policy set ambitious targets |
Environmental issues
| Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Air pollution | From thermal plants and coal mining in Sonbhadra |
| Fly ash | Disposal and ash-pond breaches |
| Water pollution | Mercury and other contamination reported in the Singrauli region |
| Health | Respiratory and other illnesses in mining and power areas |
| Displacement | Tribal communities displaced by dams and mines in Sonbhadra |
| Illegal sand mining | River ecology; road damage; conflict |
Practice
Prelims-style:
- Which district of UP is called the energy capital?
- Where is UP's nuclear power station?
- Which UP sandstone was used in Ashokan pillars?
- Where are silica sand deposits for the glass industry found?
- Why is Bundelkhand suitable for solar parks?
Mains-style:
- "Sonbhadra powers north India but pays the price." Discuss.
- Examine the prospects of renewable energy in Uttar Pradesh.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission website .
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