- Sravanthi Energy’s 450-Megawatt Project in Kashipur to Help Meet the Country’s Growing Power Needs
Sravanthi Energy, an emerging private power developer in India, has selected GE’s (NYSE: GE) flexible gas turbine technology to help meet the growing demand for cleaner, more efficient ways to address the country’s rapidly expanding energy needs. A new power plant in the Northern Indian city of Kashipur is expected to tap into India’s growing supply of natural gas to generate approximately 450 megawatts of electricity in two combined-cycle blocks.
The presence of gas and the need for greater power generation capacity have resulted in an attractive investment opportunity for many mid-sized independent power producers (IPPs). IPPs are building power projects in close proximity to major load centers. GE's highly efficient 6FA gas turbine is well positioned for such projects due to its output size, which meets the requirements of combined-cycle blocks in the 100-300 megawatt range. The primary fuel for the new plant is expected to be supplied by a pipeline that Gas Authority of India is constructing to bring natural gas into this region. In addition to the power plant, the natural gas would be used to support petrochemical, automotive and other industrial activities in the Kashipur and Rudrapur areas. GE will supply four Frame 6FA gas turbines and associated generators for the Sravanthi project, which is expected to be developed in two 225-megawatt phases. Sravanthi Energy expects the commercial operation of phase one to begin in the third quarter of 2011, with phase two in the first quarter of 2012. “Because of its output range, high efficiency, emissions levels and proven experience, we felt the 6FA was a good match for our project requirements,” said D.V.Rao, chairman of Sravanthi Group. “The success of the Kashipur plant will be a cornerstone that we can build on, as we move forward to develop more projects that can take advantage of India’s natural gas supply to meet the country’s urgent power needs.” Introduced by GE in 1994, the 6FA gas turbine is designed to deliver advanced performance in midrange combined cycle power plants as well as industrial and cogeneration applications. More than 100 units are installed globally and have compiled 3 million hours of service, making the 6FA one of the most experienced gas turbines in its class. “As the gas pipeline grid develops in India, the success of this project can open the way for future opportunities,” said Kishore Jayaraman, CEO, GE Energy, India Region. “We are committed to working with developers such as Sravanthi Energy to continue supporting the energy infrastructure needs of India, one of the world’s most dynamic economies.” The Sravanthi project follows an announcement in October 2010 that GE won contracts totaling more than $750 million to supply technology for the 2,400-megawatt expansion of the Samalkot power plant, expected to be the largest gas turbine combined-cycle project in India’s history. These recent projects build on GE’s well-established presence in India, where the company participates in a wide range of manufacturing, services and technology businesses and seeks to be a partner in India’s growth. Sravanthi Energy is part of the Sravanthi Group, an integrated power sector developer and operator with capabilities in feasibility studies, implementation and operation of power projects. The group is actively engaged in the development of power projects totaling more than 3,000 megawatts of thermal, gas, hydro and wind energy sources. Sravanthi Group also undertakes third party EPC in gas- based power projects. |
