The Hindu Business Line : CESC's Budge Budge plant registers highest PLF in 2005-06

During 2005-06 the Budge Budge plant of CESC Ltd, the flagship company of the RPG Group, has registered the highest PLF (plant load factor) signifying the highest capacity utilisation among all the thermal power stations in India.

This unit has also achieved the rare distinction of becoming the first coal fired thermal power plant in the world to be registered under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change) for carbon credits.

Addressing a press conference, Mr P.K. Basu, Executive Director (Generation) of CESC, said that the PLF of the Budge Budge unit has gradually improved to 99.61 per cent in 2005-06 from around 75 per cent in 2001-02.

In 2003-04, PLF was 79.85 per cent and in 2004-05 it was 86.38 per cent. CESC has two other units. The average PLF of the three units taken together will be over 85 per cent.

Commissioned between 1997 and 1999, the Budge Budge unit is the most modern generating station of CESC. Its capacity is 2x250 MW.

"This is a major achievement for our unit. We are also taking several steps in effluent management, ash utilisation and in becoming more environment friendly," Mr Basu said.

A project - chemical technology for boiler water treatment - at the Budge Budge plant has been recognised under the UNFCCC. The project, which saved heat and ensured less of burning coal, was validated by DNV.

"We have become the first coal fired thermal power plant in the world to get this recognition. Moreover, the technology used in this project is developed in-house," he said.

This project will be generating 3,894 CER (carbon emission reduction) units every year for CESC. The company has applied for two more projects and both are for its Titagarh plant. According to Mr Basu, the company is targeting about 40,000 CER units every year.

Selling the CER units is not the only goal of CESC. "It adds a different dimension to the operations of the organisation. The company has become more acceptable to several investors across the globe," he said.

In the last financial year, CESC has exported 480 million units of power outside its distribution area for an average price of Rs 2.20 per unit. In the first quarter of 2006-07, it has exported 79 million units.

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