Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) on Monday announced commissioning of the second module of a 726 MW power plant of ONGC Thermal Power Corporation in Tripura.
Setting up of the 2x363.3 MW gas-based combined cycle facility (CCPP), at Palatana, about 50 km from Agartala, was a herculean task. “Harsh terrain, incessant rains and inadequate road infrastructure made the conventional mode of transportation from BHEL's works in Hyderabad to the remote site almost impossible,” a release said. The central public sector enterprise made a filing about the release to BSE.
The logistical constraints were surmounted by opting for multi-modal means of transporting the consignments. It included moving them by waterways through Bangladesh under a special agreement with the neighbouring country’s government.
BHEL said it bagged the contract for setting up the CCPP on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis against international competitive bidding. It had commissioned the first module of the project in January 2013.
Each of the 363.3 MW modules is equipped with fuel efficient advanced class Frame 9FA Gas Turbines. With the commissioning of the second module, nine modules of Frame 9FA Gas Turbines in the combined cycle mode have been commissioned by BHEL, the release said.
In Tripura, the public sector company has so far commissioned 911 MW of gas-based and hydro sets, which accounts for 100 per cent of the State's generating capacity. The Palatana project is the first and largest of its kind in entire north east region of the country. In view of the logistic constraints, BHEL previously commissioned only gas turbines, 14 of them, of smaller rating – up to 21 MW.
The company is executing another gas-based project, of 100 MW, of NEEPCO at Monarchak in Tripura, the release said.
