The Hindu Business Line : BHEL to go in for nuclear tech tie-up by July-end

Tie-up talks
BHEL has been in talks with French firm Alstom, US power major GE Energy, Russian company LMZ and Siemens for possible tie-ups to enhance its nuclear capabilities.

New Delhi , April 6

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) is likely to go in for a tie-up in technology for manufacturing advanced nuclear sets by July-end. While the company is in talks with four global nuclear players, Siemens is a likely front-runner since BHEL already has a technical tie-up in place for nuclear technology with the German engineering major, a senior company executive said.

BHEL, which currently supplies equipment of up to 500 MW capacity to Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) for its projects, has been in talks with French firm Alstom, US power major GE Energy, Russian company LMZ and Siemens for possible tie-ups to enhance its nuclear capabilities.

"Efforts are on to tie-up the technology for manufacturing equipment for 700 MW and 1,000 MW capacities and we are hopeful of getting an arrangement in place by the end of July. We have an earlier tie-up with Siemens in place for nuclear technology and are trying to get it operational for the bigger sets. But it would depend on the outcome of the Indo-US nuclear deal and the German Government's stance on Indian civilian nuclear programme," an executive said.

According to officials, the company is extremely bullish on the prospects of the nuclear equipment supplies business taking off following the recent deal with the US and with the possibility of private players entering the sector. BHEL has already begun enhancement of some of its existing manufacturing facilities in Tiruchi, Haridwar and Bhopal for gearing up to participate in the process of developing nuclear projects.

Currently, NPCIL is the only nuclear power generator in the country. The demand for nuclear equipments is poised to rise in a big way with the Government likely to open up the sector for players other than NPCIL, including private sector participation expected in the short- to medium- term. Various power generation companies, including NTPC, Tata Power and Reliance Energy have already evinced interest in venturing into nuclear power.

In the wake of the new Indo-US civil nuclear deal, NPCIL estimates the country could add 20,000-40,000 MW of nuclear power generation capacity over the next 10 years or so if several more players, including private sector companies, enter the sector. The country's nuclear power generation capacity, currently pegged at 3,310 MW, forms less than 3 per cent of the country's total installed generation capacity of about 1,20,000 MW. Thermal power meets 70 per cent of India's requirements, while hydro contributes about 24 per cent at present.

Related Stories:
BHEL in talks for nuclear tie-up

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Suzlon, subsidiaries under I-T survey

`Huge scope for telecom gear manufacture'

Govt confident of holding price line: Chidambaram

OVL to acquire 15 pc stake in Brazilian oil field

Sops for country-specific export promos likely

BHEL to go in for nuclear tech tie-up by July-end

`Discovery Travel ahead of Star World, Zee Café in terms of viewership'

Infosys to consider bonus

PSB chiefs may get more loan sanctioning powers

SEBI final report on IPO scam soon

Zee bags telecast rights in non-ICC member nations