Indian Companies to Build IGCC Coal Power Plant

19 May 2008

Indian companies BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals, Ltd.) and APGENCO (Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Ltd.) will set up a 125 MW power plant at Vijaywada using IGCC (integrated gasification combined cycle) technology that BHEL has been working on for the past two decades. Unlike the seven or eight IGCC plants in the 250-300 MW range in other countries which use low-ash coal, the Vijaywada plant will use high ash Indian coals. The project is scheduled for commissioning in mid-2011.

A 6 MW pilot plant has been running at BHEL since 1983 and this is now being upscaled to commercial size.

IGCC produces lower greenhouse gases, has an operating efficiency of around 40%, reduces water consumption by about 40% and also has lower solid waste production than more conventional coal-fired power plants. IGCC also offers a technical pathway for cost-effective separation of carbon dioxide and co-production of hydrogen.

APGENCO is the country’s third largest thermal power utility, after NTPC and MAHGENCO. It is putting up the country’s first twin supercritical 800 Mw units at Krishnapattnam in Nellore district, for which the bids have been received and are in the final stages of evaluation. At Vijaywada, APGENCO has 6 x 210 MW units and another 500 MW unit is scheduled for commissioning in October/November, 2008.