BHEL may render NTPC's efforts on 11th Plan programme worthless

With less than two years left in the 11th Five-Year Plan period, concerns are growing over the completion of various NTPC-executed power units that need all out focus from the power major to be completed within the the ongoing Plan. It seems that BHEL is putting to water the intense efforts being made by NTPC, via lapses in the supply of critical plant machinery. Such delays are affecting over 2,000 MW of new NTPC-capacity.

In view of this situation, the power ministry has directed BHEL to provide a status update and a strategic action plan for timely supply of critical equipment, which include turbine modules and generators, in respect of Unit-2 of Vindhyachal STPP, in Uttar Pradesh; Mauda STPP Unit-1 in Maharashtra; and Rihand Unit-1 in Uttar Pradesh. It may be mentioned here that even though BHEL has, reportedly, augmented its production capacity to 15,000 MW per annum, as of March 31, 2010, it was able to supply equipment worth only 4,095 MW in 2009-10.

As the country`s single largest equipment supplier, BHEL has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing 12,600 MW of capacity in 2010-11 and another 9,685 MW in the 2011-12 fiscal. In this context, any more supply afflictions on the equipment major's part can derail the entire 11th plan capacity addition scheme.

A capacity addition target of 78,700 MW had been envisaged for the 11th Plan, a figure, recently, revised to 62,000 MW, against which a capacity of 22,302 MW has been commissioned, as of March 31, 2010.