India to develop coal-fired ultra supercritical plant

A 800-MW coal-fired power project based on more efficient advanced ultra supercritical thermal power technology is being set up jointly by BHEL,NTPC and Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR). 

The Rs 10,000-crore plant being developed by IGCAR would be 5% more efficient than the prevailing supercritical technology. 

“The project would pave way for cleaner energy and cut rising imports of coal for power generation,” former principal secretary Anil Razdan who is currently consultant energy technologies to the scientific advisor to GoI told ET. “The site for the project is yet to be finalised,” he maintained. 

‘The venture is aimed to cut on rising costs of imports for energy needs as by 2030 the country would have to import 55% of the fuels,” Mr Razdan who was special secretary in Union petroleum and natural gas said. “The country would be importing 90% of the crude oil by 2030,” he said. 

The three energy companies BHEL, NTPC and IGCAR have tied up for the venture for which IGCAR would develop boilers capable of operating at 700 degree centigrade and high pressure. “The technology would improve thermal plant efficiency levels to 45% and would cut pollution,” he said. The plant is likely to be operational by 2017. 

The states like J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand also needs to opt for gas for energy needs to check dependence on forests for fuel needs. “The industry needs to opt for gas-based micro turbines to cut fuel costs as it is 85% efficient and also checks pollution,” he said. 

The per capita energy consumption levels of the country would more than double in 15-20 years. He said that project implementation and delivery is a major cause for imbalance in demand and supply of power. He said that timely completion of hydel power projects is still far behind expectation. “The need is to improve competence and competition among the sub contractors who often delay the projects,” he said. 

SAIL to set-up 1000mw power plant in UP

Steel Authority of India Limited will put in over INR 5,000 crore in reviving its unit at Jagdishpur that may include a 1,000 MW gas based power plant to be set up in collaboration with Japan's Kobe Steel. Besides, it is also examining the prospects of setting up a steel processing unit in Uttar Pradesh, steel minister Mr Beni Prasad Verma while reviewing the progress of the ongoing revival work at maharatna PSU's Jagdishpur unit. Said that "Steel Authority of India Ltd will be examining the feasibility of setting up a steel processing unit at Barabanki/Gonda."

The first phase of the revival plan with an investment of INR 100 crore in the sick Malavika Steel that was taken over in 2009 by the maharatna PSU is already on, besides some other works, SAIL chairman Mr CS Verma, who accompanied the steel minister.

Talks are already on with Kobe Steels, Japan, for the second phase, which includes a 1000 MW gas based power plant with an investment of INR 2,500 crore and a steel plant based on direct re used iron making technology that would take some three years to complete.
Mr Verma added that a joint task force team with the Japanese firm has been set up, which would submit its report in March 2011.

Strong growth in power capacity and generation

Power capacity addition spurted by 2,085 mw during October, three times around the 716 average megawatt added in the previous two months and nearly 50 per cent more than that targeted for the month. In fact, this was the largest monthly capacity addition during the ongoing plan. The projects commissioned during the month included Rajiv Gandhi (Hissar) TPP U-2 and Sterlite (Jharsuguda) TPP U-1 (600 mw each); Indira Gandhi STPP U-1 (500 mw) of Aravli Power; Wardha Warora TPP U-2 (135 mw); and Pragati Stage- III (Bawana) CCPP GT-1 U-1 (250 mw). With this, the first seven months of 2010-11 have seen the commissioning of 7,020 mw of capacity, meeting 60 per cent of the targeted augmentation for the period. Fiscal 2009-10 had witnessed 51 per cent of target achievement, 2007-08 57 per cent, and 2008-09 only 31 per cent.

Cumulatively, the net capacity addition in public utilities till October in the ongoing 11th Plan amounted to 25,923 mw in public utilities, comprising 22,588 mw of thermal, 2,675 mw of hydro (renewable) and 660 mw of nuclear power. The renewable energy sources (grid connected) including small hydropower, biomass gas/power and wind energy etc., whose estimates are sourced from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, contributed 9,026 mw. The state governmentowned power plants accounted for 49 per cent of the total installed capacity of 167,278 mw in October, followed by 31 per cent in central government-owned plants, and 20 per cent in private sector plants. In RES, however, private sector accounted for 83 per cent of total capacity of 16,787 mw.

Even as the fructification of power capacity is running below target in the current plan, as in earlier five-year plans, addition to stock of public utilities till October has exceeded 21,151 mw added during the 10th Plan and 18,524 mw in the 9th Plan. Renewable energy, a star performer, has in fact already surpassed the climb in the earlier plan by 50 per cent. The total stock of installed generating capacity at the end of October worked out to 167,278 mw; of which 10 per cent (16,787 mw) comprised RES. Grid-connected captive generating capacity contributed another 19,509 mw.

The western region has 31 per cent of grid-connected power capacity (including RES) followed by northern and southern regions contributing around 27 per cent each. The eastern region has 13 per cent of installed generating capacity, with the northeastern region accounting for just around 1-2 per cent. The southern region dominated in RES with 51 per cent followed by 29 per cent in the western region and 16 per cent in the northern region.

Total power generation including that from the Bhutan joint venture shot up 8.4 per cent in October, reversing the slide that had pulled down the growth rate to around 1.3-1.4 per cent in August- September, from 3.9 per cent in June-July and 6.6 per cent in April-May. Cumulative increase in power generation over April- October worked out to a somewhat respectable 4.7 per cent, which though was below 6.5 per cent in the corresponding period of 2009-10. Plant load factor for thermal plants (coal and lignite) was assessed at 72.5 per cent during April-October 2010, which was markedly lower than 75.7 per cent in this period a year ago. PLF for nuclear power improved from 49.8 per cent to 56.2 per cent between these periods due to better availability of nuclear fuels.

The average deficit went down to about 9.2 per cent during April- October 2010, from 9.8 per cent in the corresponding period a year ago, and 10.5 per cent during this period two years back. Peak demand level deficit worked out to 10.1 per cent against 12.1 per cent in the same period last year and 13.5 per cent two years ago. Lower power shortage could be reflective of a slowing economy as growth in generation during the period was lower than that a year ago.

Among the regions, the western region, which accounts for 30-31 per cent of power availability as also demand, faced 13.7 per cent average deficit, much higher than the average for the country. The northern region faced 8.8 per cent deficit. The southern and eastern regions faced 6.3 per cent and 4.9 per cent deficit, respectively.

Among the states, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, faced 18 per cent power deficit during April-October; Uttar Pradesh faced 16 per cent; and Karnataka 10 per cent.

Power Sector Performance in 11th Five-Year Plan
	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11 (up to October)
Capacity addition (mw)	9,263	3,454	9,585	7,020
Generation ('000 GwH)	704	724	772	468
Power deficit (per cent)	9.8	11	10.1	9.2