OREANDA-NEWS. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is setting up a new Power Equipment Fabrication Plant at Bhandara in the Vidharba region of Maharashtra. The greenfield unit is being set up by BHEL at an initial investment of Rs.5,000 Million and will provide direct employment to about 700 persons.

The foundation stone for the new unit was laid here today by Sh. Prithviraj Chavan, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The ceremony was presided over by Sh. Sharad Pawar, Hon’ble Union Minister for Agriculture & Food Processing in the presence of Sh. Praful Patel, Hon’ble Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Sh. B. Prasada Rao, Chairman & Managing Director, BHEL; Directors on the Board of BHEL and other dignitaries.

In his address, Sh. Chavan said that electricity is one of the most vital elements for sustained economic growth. We need commensurate growth in power supply and BHEL has taken various capacity and capability building initiatives towards this. Today’s milestone is an outcome of such initiatives. He lauded the efforts of Sh. Praful Patel in guiding BHEL in various initiatives with a focus on country’s power generation capacity addition targets.

In his presidential address, Sh. Sharad Pawar said that industry has a major role to play in ensuring that manufacturing growth rates are enhanced. Power is projected to grow at a much quicker pace in the coming years. The government has drawn up ambitious plans for adding additional 234 GW capacity to the power generating base in the XI & XII plan periods. BHEL has done a commendable job in ensuring self sufficiency in power equipment manufacture and is well poised to encash emerging opportunities.

Lauding BHEL’s efforts in preparing itself to meet future challenges in the Power Sector, Sh. Praful Patel said that its technology tie-up for supercritical boilers for 800 MW units is one such example which will enable BHEL to cater to the requirements of power stations with higher efficiencies and low emissions. The company has already enhanced its capability to deliver 20,000 MW of power equipments per annum in line with the requirements of the nation. In the recently concluded eleventh plan, BHEL has commissioned 25,385 MW of utility sets which is nearly double of 13,613 MW achieved in the X Plan period, he said.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Sh. B. Prasada Rao, CMD, BHEL said that BHEL had made its entry in Maharashtra with the commissioning of a 30 MW thermal set at Parli way back in early 1970s. Today, the company’s contribution is over 60% to the total power generating capacity of 13,398 MW in Maharashtra. In addition, BHEL is currently executing 7,700 MW of power projects in Maharashtra at various sites like Chandrapur, Parli, Mauda, Amravati, and Nasik.

The CMD informed the gathering that the land acquisition process is in advanced stages of completion and the construction of the factory will start now. BHEL intends to start production in this factory in 24 months from the completion of land acquisition activity. BHEL is hopeful that the turnover from this new plant will progressively rise to approximately Rs.1,000 crore. The factory will be actively supported by BHEL’s manufacturing unit at Trichy. BHEL’s other units at Bhopal, Haridwar, Ranipet and Hyderabad will also extend full support through their fabrication works.