Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey reviews thermal projects by BHEL

03 May 2023 CW Team

When reviewing the ongoing thermal project being carried out by BHEL for central and state utilities, Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister for Heavy Industries, noted the need for systematic improvements and the creation of project-specific teams to ensure timely execution of high-value national importance power projects. Additionally, he stated that projects like North Karanpura and Patratu should be given top priority in order to be completed as soon as possible.

These projects, including the Maitree Thermal Project being developed by BIFPCL in Bangladesh and being carried out by BHEL, are of national importance, said the Union minister. The minister was briefed by BHEL's chairman and managing director, director for power and HR-additional charge, and other representatives on the projects' current state. He directed BHEL's CMD to take the immediate steps that are required after expressing his deep concern about the excessive delays in some of the projects. Pandey emphasised the need to complete the projects in a time-bound manner in close coordination with the utilities in light of the nation's rising demand for electricity.

The Minister recognised BHEL's efforts in putting the nation's first air-cooled condenser (ACC) into service on Unit 1 of the Maitree Bangladesh Project and Unit 1 of the North Karanpura Power Project (NKPP). According to a statement from the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the Union Minister instructed BHEL to ensure the commissioning of the second unit of NKPP by October 2023 and the third unit by March 2024.

BHEL is the only Indian company and manufacturer of 800MW boiler and turbine to have executed projects with 800MW unit ratings in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mode. Of the 37 sets of 800MW commissioned/ under construction, 25 sets have been ordered on BHEL and the balance is imported.

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