Adani Power sets up subsidiary for 3,300 MW Bhadreshwar plant - KPGCL to invite international competitive bidding in next few days

The $5-billion Adani Power Ltd (APL) has set up a subsidiary, Kutch Power Generation Company Ltd (KPGCL), to oversee execution of the proposed 3,300 MW imported coal-fired thermal power plant, power generation, evacuation and transmission of electricity at Bhadreshwar, near Mundra, in the coastal district of Kutch, Gujarat.The new project having five units of 660 MW each (5x660 MW) is expected to use coal imported from Australia and South Africa, where the Adanis are at present scouting for coal mines and ports. It will be based on super-critical technology and involve investments to the tune of Rs 13,000 crore, a company official told here on Wednesday.

Mundra port

KPGCL is inviting international competitive bidding (global tenders) in the next few days. The Adanis expect to complete the power plant in 30 months from the signing of tender . The Mundra Port is investing Rs 115 crore on doubling of the existing 57-km private railway line between Mundra and Adipur stations in Kutch. Bhadreshwar is located between these two stations. The first phase of 30-km railway line will be commissioned by June 2011 and the rest by the end of 2011-12, thus facilitating easier transportation of coal by the time the Bhadreshwar plant is completed.

The Adanis are also adding eight new berths at Mundra, making it the world's largest and dedicated coal import terminal. Also, APL is executing 500 kV bi-pole High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line of about 800 km from Mundra to Mahendragarh in Haryana, capable of evacuating and transmitting up to 2,500 MW of power.

Currently, APL, a subsidiary of the flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL), is setting up the 4,620 MW coal-fired Mundra Thermal Power Station in four stages.Mr Gautam Adani, Chairman, had, on June 26, said at Mundra that the Group is evaluating opportunities for investing around Rs 35,000 crore at Mundra. The Adanis have so far invested Rs 3,500 crore at Mundra Port with another Rs 2,500 crore lined up for its ongoing expansion.Apart from this investment of Rs 6,000 crore at Mundra Port, the Group has invested nearly Rs 16,000 crore at its thermal power plant. With the new power plant, the investments of the Group in Kutch district would be Rs 35,000-40,000 crore, the sources said.

The Mundra Port, which handled 40 million tonnes (mt) of cargo in 2009-10, is expected to cross the 100-mt mark by 2012-13, which would include 50 mt of imported coal for the requirements of the Adani's 4,620 MW thermal power station as well as the Tatas' 4,000 MW Ultra-Mega Power Project at Mundra.With the addition of another 3,300 MW by the Adanis, Mundra is expected to emerge as India's largest imported coal-fired thermal power producing hub with capacity to produce about 11,920 MW capacity.