The Hindu Business Line : L&T, Mitsubishi Heavy in venture to make turbines

Mumbai, Nov. 5 Engineering and construction company Larsen & Toubro and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, Japan, have inked a joint venture agreement for setting up a manufacturing facility for super-critical steam turbine and generator in India.

The product is an integral component of energy efficient coal-based power plants.

This follows a technology licensing and technical assistance agreement for manufacture of super-critical turbine & generator, signed between L&T, MHI and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

Foothold in power

L&T already has a joint venture with MHI to manufacture super-critical boilers. L&T and the Mitsubishi Group have been looking for a foothold in the power generation core equipment sector in India. And, L&T has been looking for a technology partner willing to invest and work together to address the demand, an L&T release said.

The proposed manufacturing joint venture, with an outlay of about Rs 880 crore, will have a product configuration catering to plant capacities ranging between 500 MW and 1000 MW. The manufacturing operation is expected to begin in the later part of the financial year 2008-09.

Fuel-efficient

Super-critical turbine uses higher steam temperatures and pressures than sub-critical pressure power generation and are more fuel-efficient and environment friendly. Super critical technology coal-based plants reduce coal consumption relative to power output and carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by about 2.5 per cent.

Supercritical type generation requires more sophisticated technology in equipment design to withstand high temperature and pressure levels. MHI has delivered about 70 units in Japan and abroad.

MHI is a leading heavy machinery manufacturer with consolidated sales of about $25 billion. Its product and service range include shipbuilding, power plants, chemical plants, environmental equipment, steel structures, industrial and general machinery, aircraft, space rocketry and air-conditioning systems.