The Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has secured prestigious orders, cumulatively valued at Rs 4614 crore, for setting up two supercritical thermal power projects involving one unit each of the country’s highest rating 800 MW sets, in Andhra Pradesh. The orders have reinforced BHEL’s position at the forefront of the power equipment suppliers in India. The projects are 1x800 MW Dr. Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station (Dr NTTPS) Stage-V of Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation (APGENCO) and 1x800 MW Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station (SDSTPS) Stage-II, popularly known as Krishnapatnam Supercritical Thermal Power Project, of Andhra Pradesh Power Development Company (APPDCL).
Both the projects are valued Rs 2307 crore each. Significantly, 6 units of 210 MWrating and 1 unit of 500 MW rating, all supplied earlier by BHEL, are in operation at Dr NTTPS, Vijaywada. Notably, the first unit of 210 MW at Vijayawada has been in operation since 1979. At Krishnapatnam also, 2 units of 800 MW rating each are already in operation at Stage-I of the project, where the Steam Generator Package, including the Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP), has been supplied by BHEL. The commissioning of the 800 MW unit at Krishnapatnam Stage-I, the first 800 MW Supercritical Thermal Power Plant in the Government Sector, was a major breakthrough for the country in achieving self reliance in the field of the latest state-of-the-art supercritical technology.
BHEL has been a long standing partner in the development of the state of Andhra Pradesh with 84% of the coal-based power stations having been commissioned by BHEL. Notably, these plants operated at a high Plant Load Factor (PLF) of 78.1% against the national average of 65.6% in 2014-15.
