Tata Power may raise capacity by 1,300 MW

Tata Power Company Ltd is likely to have a little over 1,300 MW capacity ready for generation, in the next two months, according to sources.

Though confirmation in this regard was not available from Tata Power, sources told Business Line that construction of the first 525-MW unit of Maithon Power Ltd (MPL) would be completed next week.

Maithon

MPL is a 74:26 joint venture between Tata Power and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). The project is located on the border of Bengal and Jharkhand.

According to sources, the key equipment supplier BHEL is likely to throw the unit open for coal-firing anytime between March 16 and 18. The project was due to be commissioned in the current quarter. The entire 1,050-MW ( 2 X 525 MW) project is expected to be on stream in July-August 2011.

DVC will get 300 MW as its share from the project, followed by state utilities of West Bengal (150 MW) and Punjab (300 MW).

Mundra UMPP

Sources say the implementation of the first 800-MW unit of Mundra ultra mega power plant (UMPP) is progressing ahead of schedule and the construction of the generation unit may be over in May 2011.

The 4,000-MW (5 X 800 MW) project is being implemented by Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd, Tata Power's wholly owned subsidiary.

Once commissioned, the project will earn the dual distinction of being the first UMPP to be on stream as well as using the 800 MW supercritical units the first time in the country.

Toshiba Corporation of Japan is providing the turbine-generator packages for the project while Doosan of South Korea the supercritical boilers.

Tata Power did not confirm the commissioning of either project. In an e-mailed response, a company spokesperson admitted that the first unit of MPL was expected in March. On the Mundra UMPP, the spokesperson said that the ?first unit will be commissioned in Sept 2011? (as per schedule).

According to a presentation to investors in December 2010, two units (1,600 MW) of the project will be on stream in the next fiscal. While the project will require a total of 11-12 million tonnes of imported coal, Tata Power has firmed up off-take agreements with KPC and Arutmin to meet the initial requirement.

The power generated by the project will be shared by Gujarat (1,805 MW), Maharashtra (760 MW), Punjab (475 MW), Haryana (380 MW) and Rajasthan (380 MW).

Tata Power and its joint ventures currently have a combined generation capacity of approximately 2,800 MW.