BHEL's power generating sets achieve record generation in the first quarter of 2008-09; Help bridge the gap between demand and supply of power

Power generation in the country received a boost in the first quarter April June of the current financial year (2008-09) with BHEL-built thermal sets achieving a record generation of over 100 Billion Units of electricity as against 97.1 Billion Units in the corresponding period in the previous fiscal.

Consistently exceeding the national average efficiency parameters, BHEL manufactured thermal sets achieved an impressive Operating Availability (OA) of 88.3 per cent during this period, compared to 87.9 per cent in the same period in the year before.

Significantly, 23 BHEL-built thermal sets registered a Plant Load Factor PLF of 100 per cent and above while 76 sets operated at a PLF of over 90 per cent in the first three months of 2008-09.

In fiscal 2007-08, BHEL make thermal sets which form the backbone of the country's installed thermal capacity generated 387.7 Billion Units of electricity. This constituted 80 per cent of the total power generated in the country from coal based sets.

Notably, 12 of the 13 power stations in the country awarded recently with the Government of India's Meritorious Productivity Awards for excellent performance are equipped with generating equipment manufactured by BHEL. The awards were given for meritorious and efficient performance based on operating availability and savings on account of reduced inputs, once again reaffirming the reliability and quality of BHEL equipment.

BHEL has fully established state-of-the-art technology for manufacture of thermal sets up to 600 MW rating in the sub critical range and has the capability to manufacture sets up to 1,000 MW rating. So far, orders for 69 numbers of 500/600 MW rating sets have been won, of which 33 have been commissioned. Having demonstrated its track record in successfully establishing new technologies to serve the nations power sector, BHEL is now poised to introduce 800 MW thermal sets with supercritical parameters.

BHEL is building Capacity and Capability to contribute fully for meeting the power forecast for the 11th Plan and beyond. For this, the company has enhanced its manufacturing capacity to 10,000 MW per annum which is being further enhanced to 15,000 MW per annum in the next two years at a total investment of Rs.42,000 Million.