BHEL's first 250 MW Advanced class Gas Turbine placed on the foundation at Pragati III Combined Cycle Power Plant in Delhi

Reiterating its commitment to the success of the Commonwealth Games to be held in October, 2010 in New Delhi, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has placed the first Gas Turbine on its foundation at the 1,500 MW Pragati-III Combined Cycle Power Plant, coming up at Bawana in New Delhi.

Significantly, weighing 280 tonnes, the Gas Turbine is BHEL’s first and India’s highest rating Gas Turbine. The first of the four fuel-efficient Advanced-class Frame 9FA Gas Turbines for the project was successfully placed on its foundation in the presence of officials from Pragati Power Corporation Limited (PPCL), GE, BHEL and NTPC.

Being set up by BHEL on turnkey basis, this power plant is part of the infrastructure planned for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. BHEL had won the contract for setting up the power plant against International Competitive Bidding (ICB).

Valued at Rs.35,880 Million, the order for the Gas Turbine-based CCPP was placed by PPCL. BHEL has earlier set up on turnkey basis, the 330 MW Pragati CCPP in Delhi, which has been performing exceedingly well since commissioning.

The project comprises two power blocks of 750 MW each using Natural Gas as fuel. Treated water from a nearby sewage treatment plant shall be used as the source for raw water for the plant. This power plant will be equipped with four Gas Turbines and two Steam Turbines of 250 MW each and can be operated in both Open Cycle as well as Closed Cycle Mode.

BHEL is also executing similar EPC contracts involving Advanced-class Frame 9FA Gas Turbines for GSPC Pipavav Power Company Limited (GPPC) for a 700 MW Gas Turbine-based CCPP to be installed near Pipavav in the coastal Saurashtra region; Gujarat State Energy Generation Limited (GSEG) for a 350 MW Gas Turbine-based CCPP to be installed at Hazira and ONGC Tripura Power Company Limited (OTPCL) for a 726 MW Gas Turbine-based CCPP to be installed at Pallatana in Udaipur district of Tripura.

BHEL's scope of work in the present project envisages design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning of four Frame 9FA Gas Turbine Generator sets, two Steam Turbine Generator sets and four Heat Recovery Steam Generators with state-of-the-art Controls and Instrumentation (C&I), associated auxiliaries and balance of plant, in addition to complete civil works and spares.

BHEL has been committed to the nation’s power development programme and has reaffirmed its commitment to the Indian Power Sector by equipping itself for the future, by way of technology, facilities and trained manpower to meet the country’s power forecast for the 11th Plan and beyond. For this, it has already enhanced its manufacturing capacity to 10,000 MW per annum and is further augmenting it to 15,000 MW per annum which is proceeding apace and plans are afoot to hike it further to 20,000 MW by 2011-12.