2 January 2015: The newly formed state of Telangana has entrusted Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) with the setting up of Telangana’s first Supercritical Thermal Power Plant. Valued at Rs.38,100 Million, the order for setting up the 1×800 MW Supercritical Thermal Power Plant on EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) basis at Kothagudem in Khammam District of Telangana, has been placed on the company by the Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Limited (TSGENCO). To this effect, an advance cheque of Rs.350 Crore was handed over by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana, Sh. K. Chandrasekhar Rao to Chairman & Managing Director, BHEL, Sh. B. Prasada Rao. With this, TSGENCO has reposed confidence in BHEL’s proven technological excellence as also its capability in executing power projects of this magnitude on EPC basis.Significantly, the project is targeted to be commissioned in 36 months on fast track basis with both BHEL and TSGENCO setting up teams to expedite clearances and execution of the project.
BHEL has been a long standing partner in the development of the erstwhile undivided state of Andhra Pradesh with 84% of the coal-based power stations having been commissioned by BHEL. These plants operated at a high Plant Load Factor (PLF) of 78.1% as against the national average of 65.6%, in 2013-14. Projects equipped with BHEL supplied sets, such as Ramagundam, Vijayawada, Kothagudem and Rayalaseema have been consistently winning meritorious awards from the Ministry of Power for outstanding performance. Notably, as a testimony to BHEL’s capabilities in setting up of power projects as well as the excellent performance of these plants, TSGENCO has entered into an MoU with BHEL for construction of new thermal power plants totalling to 6,000 MW in the state in the next three years to meet the increasing demand for power, which has been identified as a crucial factor for the development of the state. To overcome the current uncertainty of coal supply, BHEL shall supply its in-house developed fuel flexible Boiler, which is capable of firing the entire range, from 100% Indian to 100% imported mix of coal. This design has been developed by BHEL with its vast experience of over five decades of working with various types of coal. This will provide security against variation in design coal and the coal actually available during operation, thereby offering operational flexibility to ensure uninterrupted generation.
BHEL’s scope of work in the project includes design, engineering, manufacture, supply, construction, erection, testing & commissioning of the 1×800 MW supercritical set on EPC basis. The key equipment for the contract will be manufactured at BHEL’s Trichy, Hyderabad, Haridwar, Bhopal, Ranipet, Bangalore and Jhansi plants, with the company’s Power Sector – Southern Region to be responsible for civil works and erection / commissioning of the equipment. This order reinforces BHEL’s leadership status in the execution of supercritical thermal power projects involving supply of state-of-art equipment, suited to Indian coal and Indian conditions. With this project, BHEL has now won orders for supply and installation of 36 supercritical boilers and 31 turbines of 660 / 700 / 800 MW ratings.
