06.03.2013 Tata Power
- Tata Power sets record of commissioning total 3,200 MW in a single location in one year with an average gap of 3.5 months between units
- Tata Power achieves 8500 MW capacity with the synchronisation of 800 MW Unit # 5 of 4000 MW UMPP* at Mundra
- India’s first 4000 MW thermal power plant using supercritical technology is now fully oiperational
Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power utility, through its wholly owned subsidiary Coastal Gujarat Power Limited (CGPL), announced synchronisation of 800 MW sized Unit 5 of the country’s first UMPP in Mundra, Gujarat.
With this, the total power generation capacity of Tata Power stands at 7647 MW, reinforcing its position as the largest integrated power company in India. The Company had commercialised Unit# 1 of Mundra UMPP in March 2012, Unit# 2 in July 2012, Unit# 3 in October 2012 and Unit# 4 in January 2013. With synchronisation of Unit# 5, the thermal power generation capacity of Tata Power stands at 8500 MW and the generation through clean sources such as hydro, wind and solar stands at 852 MW.
Tata Power commissioned a total of 3,200 MW at a single location in a year. This is a new record. The average gap taken between synchronisation of two units has been 3.5 months which is better than the baseline schedule of 4 months and is much better than the 5 months provided in original PPA.
The 4000 MW Mundra UMPP is the first of the UMPPs that heralds the entry of 800 MW supercritical boiler technology in India, which is environment friendly and efficient. This technology and the choice of unit sizes will help save fuel for the project and cut down the greenhouse gas emissions as compared to regular coal-fired power stations. In addition, the choice of imported coal significantly lowers sulphur emissions. The plant will use significantly less than the stipulated 1 % sulphur and 10 % ash content in coal.
Speaking on this milestone, Mr. Anil Sardana, Managing Director, Tata Power, said, «The synchronization of Unit# 5 of Mundra UMPP marks a milestone in India’s history as the first Ultra Mega Power Project setting execution excellence benchmark for Indian power sector. The synchronization of the last unit is a significant achievement in a sector, which is ridden with numerous challenges. The Mundra UMPP features a number of new and advanced technological initiatives based on super critical technology. We eagerly await a viable solution by the Hon’ble CERC and look forward to an early resolution of this issue.
About Coastal Gujarat Project Ltd (CGPL):
CGPL is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed for setting up and operating the 4000 MW Mundra UMPP. CGPL has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with seven procurers (distribution licensees) from five states i.e. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab for the sale of contracted capacity. The Mundra Power Project, India’s first UMPP is progressing well. Unit 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been commissioned and Unit 5 has been synchronized.
About Tata Power:
Tata Power is India’s largest integrated power company with a significant international presence. The Company has an installed generation capacity of 8500 MW in India and a presence in all the segments of the power sector viz Generation (thermal, hydro, solar and wind), Transmission, Distribution and Trading. It has successful public-private partnerships in Generation, Transmission and Distribution in India namely «Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited» with Delhi Vidyut Board for distribution in North Delhi, ‘Powerlinks Transmission Ltd.’ with Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. for evacuation of Power from Tala hydro plant in Bhutan to Delhi and ‘Maithon Power Ltd.’ with Damodar Valley Corporation for a 1050 MW Mega Power Project at Jharkhand. It is one of the largest renewable energy players in India and is developing country’s first 4000 MW Ultra Mega Power Project at Mundra (Gujarat) based on super-critical technology. Its international presence includes strategic investments in Indonesia through 30% stake in coal mines and a geothermal project; in Singapore through Trust Energy Resources to securitise coal supply and the shipping of coal for its thermal power generation operations; in South Africa through a joint venture called ‘Cennergi’ to develop projects in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia; in Australia through investments in enhanced geothermal and clean coal technologies and in Bhutan through a hydro project in partnership with The Royal Government of Bhutan. With its track record of technology leadership, project execution excellence, world class safety processes, customer care and driving green initiatives, Tata Power is poised for a multi-fold growth and committed to ‘lighting up lives’ for generations to come. Visit us at: www.tatapower.com
*Ultra Mega Power projects (UMPP) are a series of ambitious power projects planned by the Government of India. With India being a country of chronic power deficits, the Government of India has planned to provide ‘power for all’ by the end of the eleventh plan (by 2012)[clarification needed]. This would entail the creation of an additional capacity of at least 100,000 MW by 2012. The Ultra Mega Power projects, each with a capacity of 4000 megawatts or above, are being developed with the aim of bridging this gap.
The UMPPs are seen as an expansion of the MPP (Mega Power Projects) projects that the Government of India undertook in the 1990s, but met with limited success. The Ministry of Power, in association with the Central Electricity Authority and Power Finance Corporation Ltd., has launched an initiative for the development of coal-based UMPP’s in India. These projects will be awarded to developers on the basis of competitive bidding.[1]
Based on supercritical technology, 16,000 MW of capacity has been contracted through the competitive bidding process for UMPPs. Two more UMPPs, one in Orissa and the other, in Chhattisgarh, are in the pipeline. The average tariff for these projects is in the range of two to three Rs per unit which is much lower than the recent cost plus tariffs. The first supercritical unit commissioned in Mundra (Gujarat).