Andhra Pradesh Power Sector Updates

[Gudavalli]

Source: thehindu

Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Sunday said Andhra Pradesh would get 50 per cent of power generated from NTPC's Stage-II Simhadri Super Thermal Power Project.


He disclosed this at Parawada after declaring full load commercial operation of unit-3 of Simhadri Stage-II project. The project has 500x4 units of which the company will now generate 1500 MW. The State will get 1000 MW produced from Stage-I. Now as per Mr. Shinde's announcement, Andhra Pradesh can get 500 MW extra from unit-3 and 4 of Stage-II. The unit-4 is also expected to be commissioned by year-end.


Describing the additional generation of 500 MW as yet another milestone, he explained that he was not in a position to accept State's request to supply entire power generated from Stage-II of Simhadri project as the Centre had decided to restrict the supply to 50 per cent of power being generated to the State where the project is located.


Stating that capacity addition in power sector and fuel linkage had remained top priority under UPA government, the Minister said power generation which was 1.22 lakh MW in 2006 had gone up to 1.80 lakh MW and hoped that they could achieve the target set for 11th Five Year Plan in next six months. Projects to add 12,000 MW were at various stages of completion, he added.


Ministers Vatti Vasant Kumar and P. Balaraju, MP T. Subbarami Reddy, local MLA P. Ramesh Babu, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power, I.C.P. Kesari, NTPC Chairman-cum-Managing Director Arup Roy Chodhary were present.

[Gudavalli]

Source: Businessline

Hyderabad, Sept. 18:

The Andhra Pradesh Government has drawn up an action plan to put in place high voltage distribution system (HVDS) with an estimated expenditure of Rs 1,154 crore.
The system will be implemented in a period of five years in a phased manner to provide more reliable and quality power supply to the farmers covering over 2.45 lakh agricultural pump-sets in the State.
Loan agreement

The Union Government concluded a loan agreement with Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for a loan of Rs 988 crore towards implementing the project, the State Government was informed.
The distribution companies in Andhra Pradesh would foot the remaining expenditure of the project, according to a release issued on Sunday.
According to the action plan, the low voltage network would be replaced by a high voltage network apart from the installation of smaller capacity distribution transformers and power supply with good voltage to farmers' pump sets.
Energy losses

The implementation of HVDS is expected to bring down energy losses in supply of power to agricultural sector from an estimated 25 per cent to 10 per cent.
Savings

The other benefits would include a total savings of Rs 307 crore in the form of reductions in energy loss, theft in energy, peak power loss and transformer failure.
The modalities of the implementation of HVDS would be discussed and finalised at a high-level meeting to be conducted by the Department of Energy, Government of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, the release added.

[Gudavalli]

Source: TheHindu

Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Power is all set to commission the country's largest gas-based 2,400 MW power project at Samalkot in Andhra Pradesh ahead of schedule with the arrival of all the six gas turbines from the U.S. paving way for the project to be commissioned by December this year.
When implemented, the project would be the fastest implemented gas-based combined cycle plant in the world and would be a boon for the southern region.
A spokesman of the company said that while two of the gas turbines had already been erected, the remaining four turbines were expected to be ready for erection by the end of this month. The project is heading for early completion as the equipment order was placed in October last year and the project is slated for formal commissioning in December, a record span of only 14 months.
Reliance Power officials involved in the project said the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) officials have carried out inspections to view the progress of the project on a number of occasions and have appreciated the work being carried out. Keeping in mind the fast track progress of the project, the Power Ministry has recommended allocation of 9.6 mscmd of gas to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry to operate the plant at 75 per cent plant load factor.
The project, which has received gas turbines from the U.S-based GE, has also established a record for gas turbine deliveries within quick timeframes. First batch of gas turbines were dispatched from GE facilities in April, within just six months from signing of the contract. All the remaining gas turbines were shipped by July.
The project, after complete commissioning, is expected to contribute 16,000 million units of green energy each year to the power-starved southern region.
The project has received long-term project recourse finance support from the U.S. Exim Bank. The project has already got special mention in President Barack Obama's speech during his visit to the GE factory in Schenectady, New York. Mr. Obama had said that the project would help create 1,600 jobs in the U.S.

[Gudavalli]

Source: IBN

Mumbai, Sep 23 (PTI) Tata BP Solar India, a joint venture between Tata Power and BP Solar, today said it commissioned its first plant in Andhra Pradesh under the National Solar Mission. The 1 megawatt plant was synchronised to the grid on September 17. The project is owned and developed by Ramakrishna Industries at Shadnagar in Andhra, the company said in a statement here. The project uses 4,400 crystalline silicon modules of 230 watts each spread over 5 acres. The solar power plant will generate 1.54 million units first year, it said. Ramakrishna Industries has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Andhra Electricity Board for 25 years to supply this power to them. Tata BP Solar has projects running in Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Maharashtra, Delhi and is also executing new projects in Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand.

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets...ort/5261957085

The contract envisages setting up a 2x600 MW thermal power generating unit for SCCL’s upcoming coal-based super thermal power project






Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has placed a major order on Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for supply and installation of the main plant package for a power project in Andhra Pradesh, involving two thermal power generating units of 600 MW each.
Valued at Rs. 40,710mn, the contract envisages setting up a 2x600 MW thermal power generating unit for SCCL’s upcoming coal-based super thermal power project, located at Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh.
BHEL’s scope of work in the contract envisages design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of Steam Turbines, Generators and Boilers, along with state-of-the-art Controls and Instrumentation (C&I) and auxiliaries including associated civil work.
Significantly, only two orders for coal-based Boiler Turbine Generator (BTG) packages, namely 2x660 MW – DB Power and 2x600 MW – SCCL, have been finalised in the country in the current financial year, since April, 2011, and both have been secured by BHEL.
BHEL has fully established state-of-the-art technology for the manufacture of thermal sets up to 1,000 MW rating. To meet customer demand, the company has introduced new rating thermal sets of 270 MW, 525 MW and 600 MW, in addition to 250 MW and 500 MW thermal sets. Notably, BHEL has so far secured orders for Twenty Three (23) numbers of 600 MW thermal sets.
The company has also equipped itself to produce thermal sets with supercritical parameters of 660/700/800 MW unit rating suited to Indian coal and Indian conditions. Significantly, the company has established the capability to deliver 15,000 MW per annum and further augmentation to 20,000 MW per annum is underway.

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...m-project.html

Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) -- General Electric Co., the world’s third-biggest supplier of wind turbines, announced its first investment in Indian renewable energy generation with plans to build $115 million of wind farms with Greenko Group Plc.
GE Energy Financial Services will invest $50 million and Greenko $65 million to create 500 megawatts of wind projects, enough to power 875,000 Indian homes, according to a statement on GE’s website. The deal expands GE’s $6 billion portfolio of global clean-energy investments into a country that added the most new wind capacity last year after China and the U.S.
The first 65-megawatt project in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra state will use GE’s 1.6-megawatt turbines and be completed by December, it said. They will come from GE’s plant in Pune.
GE was the third-largest supplier of wind turbines in 2010, behind Denmark’s Vestas Wind Systems A/S and China’s Sinovel Wind Group Co., according BTM Consult ApS, a Denmark-based wind industry researcher.
Greenko, based in Douglas, Isle of Man, and backed by private equity firm TPG Capital, has plans for 1-gigawatt of Indian wind capacity by 2015. It’s putting up farms in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan states, the statement said.

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://fossilfuel.energy-business-re...n-india-121011

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has secured a contract from Singareni Collieries Company for supply and installation of the main plant package for a 1,200MW thermal power plant in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The coal-based power project will include two generating units each with a capacity of 600MW.
BHEL will be responsible for the design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of steam turbines, generators and boilers, along with controls and instrumentation and auxiliaries including associated civil work.
BHEL said it has fully established state-of-the-art technology for the manufacture of thermal sets up to 1,000MW rating.

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://business-standard.com/india/n...ty-biz/452454/

The BSE-listed KCP Ltd is planning to invest around Rs 187 crore, including for its proposed foray into hospitality sector. The other investment includes setting up a captive power plant.
The company has said it is planning to set up a 2x18 mega watt (Mw) captive power plant at the site of New Cement Unit II at Muktyala, Andhra Pradesh. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 164 crore and it has received a term loan of Rs 114 crore from the banks.
The basic input for the proposed project, coal, will be procured under the Coal Linkage System for which necessary applications have been made and approvals awaited, according to the company’s annual report.
Meanwhile, the company has said, expansion of cement production undertaken by way of greenfield plant at Muktayala, with a capacity of 1.52 million tonne was partly commissioned in May 2011.
The final commissioning, however, coincided with a recovery in cement prices which witnessed a downward trend in the earlier part of the year, said the company.
The company’s combined capacity would be 2.18 million tonnes now. Other investments include the second phase of expansion of foundry at an estimated cost of Rs 60 crore which is expected to taken up during the second half of the current fiscal.
Meanwhile, the group is planning to foray into hospitality sector by setting up a hotel in Hyderabad at a cost of Rs 63.02 crore, excluding land.
Around Rs 45 crore has already been sanctioned by the bank as term loan towards the project which will have 130 rooms. “The company has tentatively agreed on preliminary terms for a management contract and operation of the hotel with a leading international hotel chain.
The brand under consideration has models perceived as a business hotel in the upper middle segment in the four star category,” said the company in the annual report.
The company has registered a gross turnover of Rs 361.72 crore during the year ended March 31, 2011, compared to Rs 411.75 crore, a year ago, i.e. a drop of around 12 per cent. It is into various business including engineering which accounts for 36.13 per cent of the sales, cement (61.86 per cent), power (0.14 per cent) and others (1.87 per cent).

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/10458170.cms

HYDERABAD: The state government is planning to achieve additional generation of around 4,500 MW in the next five years under the public sector. This was disclosed by energy principal secretary Dinesh Kumar while participating in an interactive session on "Current Scenario In Energy Sector - The Way Forward" organized by Confederation of Indian Industries ( CII). He said that the installed capacity has reached 15,768 MW compared to 14,750 MW on the same day last year and that the state is making all out efforts to procure 70 million tonnes of coal as against present supply of 50 million tonnes from Singareni Collieries to reduce the coal shortages for power plants in the state.
With the economy on the fast pace, the peak demand of 11,552 MW was met during September 2011 as against 9,883 MW during same month of September 2010 with an increase of 16.89 per cent, Dinesh Kumar said. "In spite of several constraints such as fuel shortages, transportation of fuel, transmission corridor problems, change in interest rates, AP power sector is rated the best performing sector in the country," he said.

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...ue&ref=wl_home

Hyderabad Oct. 23:
The Andhra Pradesh Government is planning to start execution of works for the AP Rural High Voltage Distribution Project by March next year.
The project is expected to considerably reduce energy losses in the agriculture sector, besides improving the voltage profile to agri-pump sets. The Government has directed the DISCOMs to wrap up the tendering process and award the contracts by January 2012.
As part of a five year plan, the project will involve an investment of Rs 1,154 crore. Japan International Cooperation Agency has sanctioned loan assistant to an extent of 85 per cent of the project cost (Rs 988 crore) at a concessional rate of interest. The repayment period will be 40 years, including a grace period of 10 years.
“With the implementation of the project, energy losses are likely to come down from the estimated 25 per cent to 10 per cent in the agriculture sector,” an official release said.

[S Chigurupati]

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/10586330.cms

RANASTHALAM (Srikakulam): The ground is being prepared for the proposed 10,000 MW nuclear power plant at Kovvada Matsyalesam village in Ranasthalam mandal, with a senior minister from north coastal Andhra assuring better rehabilitation package for people who would be displaced.

There is a vertical split among the people about the proposed plant, as some of them are willing to give their land for the plant, while others oppose it. At one stage, the majority opinion was against setting up of the nuclear plant, following the disaster at the nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan, this year.

"But gradually, the people have begun to change their minds following the minister's intervention," sources said.

The plant would come up in more than 2,000 acres at an estimated cost of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. The minister told TOI that the plant would come up at any cost and that no force on earth can stop it. The government would take necessary action to provide better rehabilitation package to the displaced persons. "This is a government project and it's not like Kakarapalli or Sompeta thermal power projects. However, coal-based plants should also come up as they are merchant power plants. But the government would convince the affected people and take care of them," he said.

People of four villages -- Peda Kovvada, Chinna Kovvada, Tekkali and Ramachandrapuram -- must be resettled to provide space for the nuclear plant. The authorities have to evacuate 1,500 to 2,000 families from Chinna Kovvada and Pedda Kovvada to set up the plant.

The authorities have already demarcated the area into three zones -- exclusive zone, which would be in an extent of 1.5 km from the plant, sterilised zone in 3.5 km radius from the plant site and emergency planning zone, which is more than 15 km away from the plant. If any emergency situation arises, the authorities would evacuate more than 50 villages in the vicinity of the plant.

Plant chief engineer, G Venkata Ramesh, said they are using modern technology and there would not be any disaster. He said till today, from the time nuclear power generation has begun in 1969, there has been no accident or radiation leakage.

There would be six reactors - each with 1,590 MW capacity. Each mega watt of power generation would cost Rs 7-10 crore. "They are trying to win the hearts of the people by wooing them with financial packages. But the plant would be hazardous for the people and we would definitely oppose it till it is cancelled," CPI (ML) New Democracy leader Tandra Prakash said.

[S Chigurupati]

Source: http://epaper.eenadu.net/svww_zoomar...106a_013101004

The environment ministry has issued notice to East coast energy pvt ltd, company to stop the ongoing construction works of 2640 MW, Bhuvanapadu thermal plant at kakrapalli in srikakulam district till further notice.

[S Chigurupati]

Source: Times of India

PALASA (SRIKAKULAM): Moves are afoot to set up a power grid in Ramakrishnapuram in Srikakulam district with the authorities conducting surveys in the mandal. The Rs 750-crore power grid project will be set up to supplement power lines for the proposed coal-based power plants at Kakarapalli and Sompeta.

The authorities kept the power grid project under wraps following loud protests from the anti-thermal power plant agitators. According to sources, the project would come up in 150 acres in Ramakrishnapuram.

The authorities would set it up to generate power generation of two phases of Sompeta and Kakarapalli plants. They would establish 765/400 KV lines from Berhampur in Orissa to Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam.

The distribution lines would be built in three phases for both plants and Rs1,500 crore would be spent for each plant.

Sources averred that the grid would facilitate power distribution for the first phase of the 2x660 MW power generation at Kakarapalli plant by East Coast Energy Private Limited and for NCC's proposed plant at Beela in Sompeta. Curiously, officials said the power grid is being set up for distribution of power, generated in Orissa plants.

Initially, surveys were conducted at Nandigam and Palasa mandals for setting up the grid but faced strong opposition from locals. Officials also conducted surveys in Laveru, Gurugubilli and Subhadrapuram of Laveru mandal three months ago.

Paryavarana Parirakshana Samithi (PPS), spearheading the anti-thermal power plant agitations in the district, alleged that the government is out to destroy the district.

"The Sompeta agitation against the plant has crossed 700 days. We are ready to sacrifice our lives but we will not allow destructive development in the district," warned a PPS leader.

Sources said surveys on land acquisition for the power grid reached the district administration nine months ago but the authorities played it safe as they were worried that it would rekindle the agitators. Recently, they started surveys so that the power grid project could go on stream, sources said.

As per applications submitted to the government for the power grid, power generation of the first phase of the Sompeta plant would start from March 2012 and the Kakaraplli plant from August 2012, sources added.

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/ind...-in-ap/454988/

Sunborne Energy, a Haryana-based solar power developer backed by General Catalyst Partners and Kosla Ventures, is contemplating setting up a 50-Mw solar thermal power project in Andhra Pradesh involving an investment of between Rs 500 crore and Rs 600 crore (including land cost).
The company has already acquired 200 acres of land in Andhra Pradesh and is now trying to work it out with the state government to set up the plant.
“We are keenly watching the policy framework developments in the state. As and when we get a nod from the Andhra Pradesh government, we will go for it. We are technology-agnostic and we want to go with a technology (photo voltaic, crystalline or thin film) which is reliable and bankable, and is closer to the lowest cost of energy (LCOE),” Gagan Vermani, executive director and chief operating officer, told Business Standard.
Vermani said they had seen Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka coming up with some sort of policies, besides the National Solar Mission. “In AP, we have to wait for the right (policy) environment,” he said.
Sunborne, which had so far raised $25 million in a two-round funding from General Catalyst Partners, recently signed a power purchase agreement with the Gujarat government, for a 50-Mw solar thermal power plant and is expecting the project to be commissioned in the next couple of months. Also in the pipeline is a 5-Mw power project in Rajasthan under the MNRE scheme, to be completed by March 2012.
“We are looking at expanding aggressively and want to achieve 20-Mw on-ground installed capacity by the end of this financial year and reach 200 Mw (only photo voltaic) in the next fiscal,” Vermani said, adding the company was targeting a grid-parity by 2014 in photo voltaic by 2014.

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report...4-fold_1610173

The central government is looking at bringing in policy changes to pep up the solar power sector where not much is happening for sometime.
It is looking at increasing the viability quotient of the sector for entrepreneurs so as to lure more players into the sector.
“We have some targets for generation of power through solar and the government is finetuning policy issues in order to achieve the goal,” Bharat Bhargava, director at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said.
According to him, one of the key moves would be increase in the cap on generation capacities.
Currently, each project allotted under the National Solar Mission has a maximum limit of about 5 mw.
The government has decided to enhance it to 20 mw per project and in the case of a consortium taking up a project the maximum capacity would be about 50 mw.
“The enhancement would also help the projects in getting proper financing,” he said.
The government has set a target of achieving 2,000 mw solar power generation capacity by 2013, while projects with a capacity of about 400 mw would get added by this fiscal-end.
“By March 2013 we will add two gigawatts. By this March end we will have close to about 400 mw.Basically there are two or three major initiatives. One is the National Solar Mission. Other is Gujarat policy. Third is Maharashtra’s initiative. Mahagenco is setting up a 120 mw capacity, Tata Power and Reliance are setting up 40 mw each to meet their renewable purchase obligation,” Bhargava said.
He said the first batch of solar power is expected to come from the existing photovoltaic (PV) developers which have shifted their projects (migrant projects) under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.
Replying to a query on the second-batch bidding, he said as many as 218 companies have applied offering 2,500 mw of projects for the second round, seven times the allocated capacity of 350 mw, for which bids were invited.
“Bids have been called for 350 mw and people have offered 2,500 mw. A total of 218 companies have applied. By the end of this month all bidding process will be completed,” Bhargava said.

[S Chigurupati]

Source: The Week

Hyderabad: The state-owned Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Co Ltd (APGENCO) has bagged the India power award 2011 for overall utility performance-generation

APGENCO won the award for the third time since the introduction of the India Power Awards by Council of Power Utilities to promote excellence in the energy sector, said a company statement.

C. Rangarajan, chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, presented the award to APGENCO managing director K. Vijayanand in New Delhi Friday.

APGENCO is the largest power generating company in Andhra Pradesh with an installed capacity of 8,924 MW comprising 5,093 MW thermal, 3,829 MW hydel and 2 MW wind power.

APGENCO added 1,297 MW in 2010-11. It is adding continuously one 500 MW unit to the Andhra state Grid for the last three years. The company's turnover during 2010-11 was more than Rs.10,000 crore.

[s.yogendra]

Thermal plant in Khammam soon

APGENCO will take up a 600 MW Thermal Power Station at Yerragunta village in Khammam District, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy informed the Assembly in a written answer on Friday. To a question by Thummala Nageswara Rao (TDP) and others, he said that 1,200 acres have been identified and a detailed project report was ready.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle2682822.ece

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://www.myiris.com/newsCentre/sto...dir=2011/12/13

The first unit of GMR Rajahmundry Energy combined cycle power plant at Vemagiri in Andhra Pradesh was synchronized on Sunday night, adding 384 MW capacities to the Andhra Pradesh grid.

The GMR (Q,N,C,F)* group is setting up the 2x384 MW capacity Combined Cycle power plants adjacent to its existing plant located at Vemagiri. The first unit has been commissioned in a record time of 24 months. The second unit is expected to be commissioned by February, 2012.

This GMR project was identified as a XI plan project and accordingly was shortlisted for gas allocation by the Government of India. It is expected that gas will be made available to this project shortly.

Shares of the company declined Rs 0.05, or 0.28%, to trade at Rs 18.00. The total volume of shares traded was 105,815 at the BSE (9.48 a.m., Tuesday).

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...ue&ref=wl_home

HYDERABAD, DEC. 27:
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 140 crore to Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation (APTransco) for setting up eight 132/33 kV sub-stations.

The total project cost is Rs 176 crore.

This is the first sanction under NIDA (Nabard Infrastructure Development Assistance) in Andhra Pradesh. NIDA was started to fund State-owned agencies to complement rural infrastructure outside Nabard's flagship programme Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).

Under this scheme, the bank gives 15-year tenured loans.

“The new sub-stations will help the State reduce losses and improve quality of power,” Mr P. Mohanaiah, Chief General Manager of Nabard (Andhra Pradesh), said here in a statement on Monday.

“Some other public corporations too are showing interest to take loans under this scheme,” he said.

[Gudavalli]

Source: http://www.smetimes.in/smetimes/news...hra890203.html

GVK Energy Ltd, a subsidiary of GVK Power & Infrastructure Limited, will invest Rs.40,000 crore to produce 6,400 MW of electricity in Andhra Pradesh.

The firm Friday signed four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the state government for four projects during the Partnership Summit 2012.

It will set up two coal-based power projects of 2,640 MW each and will add capacity to the two existing gas-based projects.

The super critical thermal power projects (4x660), will come up in coastal Andhra with an investment of Rs.16,000 crore each. While one project will be Indian coal based, the other will use imported coal.

Asked if the company would be importing coal from Australia, GVK power managing director Ram Bhupal told reporters here that the company was looking at different options.

The company will finalise the locations near the existing or proposed ports after a feasibility study, he added.

The company will sell entire power to be produced from one plant to state-owned power distribution companies. From the second plant, part of the power would be sold to distribution companies and part of it will be on merchant basis.

Both the projects will be financed in the debt equity ratio of 4:1 and the first phase of both is expected to be commissioned in 2017-18.

The company also signed agreements to increase the capacity of its gas-based power projects at Jegurupadu and Samarlakota, both situated in coastal Andhra district of East Godavari.

"We are confident that the gas will be made available for the expansion," said Bhupal.