.... To reduce dependence on power biz to 50% in 10 years

State-owned engineering major Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Bhel) on Friday said it was aiming to reduce its dependence on thermal power business to 50 per cent over the next 10 years from 80 per cent now. 

“With focus on non-power business we are internally targeting to bring down dependence on thermal power sector to 50 per cent. Currently, thermal power contribution is 80 per cent now,” Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd chairman and managing director Atul Sobti said here on Friday on the sidelines of 31st Indian Engineering Congress by The Institution of Engineers.

He said the company is giving impetus on transportation, defence and solar in big way. The company has recently invested Rs 300 crore to enhance the solar PV cell making capability to 225MW.

The Central Electricity Authority in a draft paper said given the massive capacity addition plans in the renewable sector, CEA estimates there is no requirement for new coal plants in 2017-22. 

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) today indicated that it was not much worried about the draft national electricity plan of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) which has forecast no requirement for new coal plants till 2022.

“They (CEA) have sought comments. New power capacity is required or not is a matter of debate,” BHEL chairman and managing director Atul Sobti said here on the sidelines of 31st Indian Engineering Congress by The Institution of Engineers.

With government effort on replacing and modernising old and inefficient thermal power plants with a total estimated capacity of 25,000 MW, Sobti said, of that 11,000 MW is from NTPC. Given the massive capacity addition plans in the renewable sector, CEA estimates there is no requirement for new coal plants in 2017-22.

BHEL was also targeting at stranded power projects of the country and said recently one project worth Rs 8000 crore got opened up and more are there.

Meanwhile, Sobti said BHEL was the lowest bidder for projects totalling 20,000 MW in the pipeline and, taking all these into account, BHEL was not much concerned with the CEA drat report.