Power Stations equipped with BHEL Equipment set new benchmarks; Win Maximum Meritorious Productivity Awards

New Delhi, March 22: Twenty nine of the thirty four power stations in the country awarded with the Government of India’s Meritorious Productivity Awards for excellent performance, are equipped with generating equipment manufactured by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), once again establishing the reliability and quality of BHEL equipment.

Instituted by the Ministry of Power, the awards have been given for the years 2004-05 and 2005-06 to power stations (thermal, hydro, gas and nuclear) for meritorious and efficient performance based on operating availability and savings on account of reduced inputs. This has been achieved by ensuring availability of equipment by predictive and planned maintenance, timely availability of spares, requisite guidance from the OEM for technological upgradation and necessary training to the O&M staff.

Significantly, all the five power stations awarded with the Gold Shield for commendable and highly productive performance for 2005-06 and six of the seven power stations awarded with the Gold Shield for 2004-05 are equipped with BHEL-built sets. These include; NTPC’s Simhadri and Ramagundam; Tata Power Company’s Trombay; KPCL’s Almatti and Varahi; HPGCL’s Tau Devi Lal; NPCIL’s Kaiga; RIL’s Dahanu; APGenco's Upper Sileru and NHDC’s Indira Sagar power stations.

Power generation in the country received a boost with BHEL-built thermal sets generating nearly 8% more power in the first nine months (April-December) of the current fiscal 2006-07, compared to the corresponding period, last year. During this period, these sets registered a record generation of 268.45 Billion Units against 248.89 Billion Units in the year before. In the same period, BHEL-manufactured sets registered a significantly higher Plant Load Factor (PLF) of 76.5% against 72.5% achieved last year.

Having demonstrated its track record in successfully establishing new technologies to serve the nation’s power sector, BHEL is now poised to introduce 800 MW thermal sets with supercritical parameters. BHEL has equipped itself to produce thermal power equipment for 800 MW sets and above, suited to Indian conditions, using Indian as well as imported coal. In addition, the company is shoring up its capability for higher rating Hydro sets and advanced class Gas Turbines to cater to upcoming market requirements.

Aimed at gearing up to meet the country's capacity addition targets towards the agenda of providing ‘Power to all by 2012’, BHEL is investing more than Rs.12,000 Million for holistic modernization and capacity expansion of its facilities from 6,000 MW per annum at present to 10,000 MW per annum. BHEL also has plans to further increase its capacity to 15,000 MW as required by the country’s power sector in the eleventh five-year plan.