BHEL on expansion drive to meet country’s power capacity addition plans.

Aimed at preparing to meet the country's power capacity addition targets towards the agenda of providing ‘Power to all by 2012’, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is investing more than Rs.16,000 Million for holistic modernization and capacity expansion of its facilities. The focus of the initiative is on addition of facilities for various products in its manufacturing units and for construction tools & equipments for erection and commissioning services at customer project sites.

This is being implemented to reaffirm the company’s commitment to the power development programme of the country. In the past, BHEL has always taken advance action and put in place capacities to meet country's power plant equipment needs. In the Sixth five-year plan itself, a production capacity of 6,000 MW had been established by BHEL, which was more than adequate for the country’s power capacity addition programme.

In the Tenth five-year plan period (2002-2007) nearly 34,000 MW of fresh generating capacity is expected to be added in the country, of which BHEL’s contribution would be about 19,500 MW, which is well within its present production capacity. The manufacturing capacity of 10,000 MW is intended to meet the present indications of the likely power capacity addition target of the Eleventh five year plan (2007-2012) of over 62,000 MW. In line with the expected growth in demand, enhancement of manufacturing capacity is on course from 6,000 MW per annum at present to 10,000 MW per annum, which will be available in 2007.

In addition to the ongoing programme, based on the national plan for capacity addition in the Eleventh five year plan period and beyond, including nuclear power stations, BHEL would be more than willing to further enhance its capacity even beyond 10,000 MW to the levels required by the country’s power sector. These programmes are in the nature of brownfield expansion, adding mainly work centre capacities. Both in terms of time as well as cost-benefits, this approach has a strong economic rationale. BHEL has large accumulated reserves and surplus, in addition to its leveraging capacity to raise resources from the market, and can fully meet the resource requirements on its own.

BHEL has also taken necessary steps for upgradation/introduction of new technologies. It has already tied up to acquire new technology to produce thermal power equipment with super-critical parameters for the next higher rating 800 MW sets and above and currently Engineering work is in progress.. Introduction of higher rating hydro turbine generator sets and advanced class Gas Turbines have been planned to cater to the upcoming market requirements. Besides, the Company is ready and equipped to be a part of the emerging opportunities in Nuclear Power Generation.

BHEL was set up with a mandate to make the country self-reliant in the manufacture of power plant equipment. Today, the company’s generating equipment (Thermal, Hydro, Nuclear & Gas) forms the backbone of the Indian energy sector. BHEL-make generating sets installed in the country total to nearly 78,000 MW today. Notably, BHEL sets generate 73% of the total power produced in the country while accounting for 65% of India’s installed generating capacity of over 1,18,000 MW (on 31/3/06). In real terms, this translates into nearly three out of every four homes in India being lit up with power generated by BHEL sets. BHEL sets have also been consistently achieving higher PLF than National average demonstrating higher level of performance.