BHEL wins Rs.37,000 Million EPC Contract for the first 700 MW Supercritical Thermal Unit

Outbidding L&T under stiff International Competitive Bidding (ICB), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has bagged an order for the first 700 MW coal-fired thermal unit with supercritical parameters.

Valued at Rs.37,000 Million, the order has been placed on BHEL by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) for setting up the 700 MW Supercritical Unit-3 at Bellary Thermal Power Station (TPS) in Karnataka, on turnkey basis. With this, KPCL has reposed confidence in the technological excellence of BHEL as also its capability in executing power projects of this magnitude.

Bellary TPS is already equipped with a BHEL-built 500 MW thermal set (Unit-1) while Unit-2 also of 500 MW rating, is presently under execution by BHEL. With the present order, BHEL has maintained its track record of bagging most of the orders for power generating equipment in Karnataka. The company has commissioned about 5,000 MW of power generating sets in the state, which include thermal as well as hydro units of various ratings.

In Karnataka, BHEL is also executing the 2x800 MW Yeramarus supercritical TPS of Raichur Power Corporation Limited (RPCL), a Joint Venture between KPCL and BHEL, which has been set up to Build, Own and Operate supercritical thermal power plants in Karnataka.

BHEL is already executing major contracts for supply of main plant equipment with supercritical parameters for the 2x660 MW Barh Thermal Power Project Stage-II of NTPC and the 3x660 MW Bara Thermal Power Project of Prayagraj Power Generation Company Limited, a part of the Jaypee Group. In addition, BHEL is also executing a contract for supply of supercritical Steam Generators to APGenco’s 2x800 MW Krishnapatnam Thermal Power Project, which is in an advanced stage of completion.

BHEL has upgraded its technology base from sub-critical sets to supercritical sets of 660/800 MW and above. The company has ongoing collaboration agreements with Alstom, France and Siemens, Germany, with a technology transfer arrangement, which will enable the country to be self-reliant in the field of supercritical thermal power plants.

BHEL has established the capability to deliver 15,000 MW of power equipment per annum and further augmentation to 20,000 MW per annum is underway. In fiscal 2009-10, a record 74% of the total power generated in the country was contributed by BHEL sets, which comprise two-thirds of the country’s installed capacity.