Tata Power to add 750 Mw capacity in 2010-11

India’s largest private sector power producer, Tata Power Company (TPC), which added 192 Mw to its capacity last financial year, will add 750 Mw more to its existing 2,786-Mw installed capacity in 2010-11.

Tata Power was planning to commission the first unit of 525 Mw of the 1,050-Mw Maithon power project in Jharkhand in the current financial year. About 82 per cent of work had been completed and turbine erection would start shortly. The boiler of the first unit had also been tested. The 1,050-Mw project, a 74:26 joint venture between Tata Power and Damodar Valley Corporation, would require an additional capital expenditure of Rs 380 crore, in addition to the projected Rs 4,450 crore, Tata Power said in a recent presentation.A Tata Power spokesperson said the 525-Mw second unit of the Maithon project would take off only in the next financial year. Tata Power, which synchronised the 120-Mw fifth unit of the Jojobera captive power station near Tata Nagar in Jamshedpur in April, expects to soon start commercial production. A 90-Mw project at Haldia was started recently and will soon add another 30 Mw.

From the renewable energy sector, the company will add 3 Mw of solar energy and about 100 Mw of wind power. At present, Tata Power has 200 Mw of wind power-generation capacity in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat.

The company is implementing projects with a capacity of close to 5,300 Mw, including the 4,000 Mw (800x5) Mundra ultra mega power project in Gujarat. Over 53 per cent of the work has been completed and a jetty with coal unloading facilities will be ready during the current year. About 10,500 people are working on site to set up the project within deadline.

“Going forward, tight project timelines for generator commissioning, smooth coordination across multiple vendors on site and possession of remaining land such as the outfall channel will be crucial to progress of the project,” said Tata Power.The Rs 17,000-crore project is targeted for commissioning by 2012.

Tata Power sources said the company had added 192 Mw of power in 2008-09, including 42 Mw of wind energy. Major capacity additions — of 1,600 Mw and another 2,400 Mw — would take place in 2011-12. After these additions, the power generation capacity of Tata Power will reach about 8,250 Mw by 2013.

Besides, the company has lined up a pipeline of 6,125 Mw, including a 2,400-Mw imported coal project at Dehrand in Maharashtra; a 1,200-Mw captive coal project at Naraj Marthapur, using captive coal from Mandakini coal blocks; and a 1,200-Mw tubed coal project at Tiruldih, using coal from Tata Steel; and a 800-Mw hydro project in Tama Koshi river in Nepal, in association with S N Power. Tata Power will also set up an overseas power plant using production gases at group company Corus, which was acquired by Tata Steel.