Bhel sets up over 45K MW capacity; beats 12th Plan target

New Delhi: State-owned power equipment maker Bhel today said it has added 45,274 MW capacity during the 12th Five Year Plan period (2012-17) beating the targets set for the company. "Renewing thrust on accelerated project execution, Bhel has achieved a capacity addition of 45,274 MW of utility sets during the 12th five year plan, surpassing the Government’s capacity addition target by 9 per cent," Bhel said in a statement today. The government had set the target of 41,661 MW power generation capacity addition for Bhel. Bhel said it continues to remain the single largest contributor to the country’s installed capacity of utility sets, with a share of 46 per cent in the 12th Plan capacity addition.

Its capacity addition was 78 per cent higher than in the 11th Plan (2007-12). During 2016-17, Bhel has achieved a capacity addition of 6,317 MW in the utility segment, which is nearly four times of the next highest achievement by any other manufacturer. Besides, 1,422 MW of industrial sets and 78 MW of overseas sets have also been commissioned by Bhel during the year, in addition to 61 MWp of Solar Power Plants, including 50 MWp at Ananthapur in Andhra Pradesh. With the commissioning of 4 Roof Top Solar Plants, totalling to 403 kWp, during the year, Bhel has enhanced its presence in this emerging segment as well. With this, a total of 8,538 MW has been synchronised/commissioned in the year.

The company added another feather in its cap by foraying into the field of power generation as a co-developer, with the start of commercial operation of the first unit of its 2x800 MW project at Yeramarus, Karnataka. Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) and Bhel are the main equity partners of Raichur Power Corporation Ltd. - the owner and operator of this plant. In fiscal 2016-17, Bhel has maintained its leadership position in the supercritical segment by commissioning another 4 units, enhancing its tally to 14 Supercritical Steam Generators (SGs) and 12 Supercritical Steam Turbine-Generators (TGs).

So far, Bhel has contracted 48 Supercritical SG and 41 Supercritical TG sets - the highest in the country for any power equipment manufacturer. Bhel’s first 700 MW rating supercritical project at KPCL’s Bellary Unit 3 has also commenced commercial operation. Despite security concerns and substantial logistic challenges, Bhel said it has successfully commissioned all three units of the prestigious 3x14 MW Salma hydropower project. The project - renamed as Afghan-India friendship Dam - was inaugurated jointly by the Prime Minister and the President of Afghanistan.