Thursday, August 20, 2015

UP may blacklist BHEL for Anpara D failure

UP government may blacklist Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL), the manufacturer of prestigious Anpara D power plant which has remained a non-starter even after five months of inauguration by UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. The plan, which has potential to snowball into a political controversy, comes following repeated reminders by UP government-owned UP Rajya Vidyut Vitran Nigam (UPRVUNL) to the 'Nav-Ratna' Company to get the 500 Mw unit, inaugurated by Akhilesh on March 31, functional. UPRVUNL managing director AP Mishra said an ultimatum has been given to the company to get the plant synchronized by August 28. "After that, the corporation would initiate the process of getting the company blacklisted," he told TOI. "The unit has been turning out to be acause of major embarrassment for the state government which seeks to mitigate the power crisis. It is highly frustrating that a CM inaugurates a project but it remains non-functional. We have sent repeated reminders but the unit has not been synchronized properly," he added. ref: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/UP-may-blacklist-BHEL-for-Anpara-D-failure/articleshow/48564956.cms

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

BHEL-constructed thermal power plant under scanner

A thermal power plant constructed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has come under the scanner with Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC), seeking details of the 500 megawatt (Mw) Anpara D unit in Sonebhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. The plant, which cost over Rs 7,000 crore, was inaugurated by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav with much fanfare on March 31, 2015. However, the plant has not been able to run properly and has tripped several times. BHEL had constructed the unit for UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) and it took nearly 8 years for getting commissioned. Last week, UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad had submitted a public interest memorandum with ERC seeking probe in the matter. Pursuant to the petition, ERC secretary Arun Kumar Srivastava has written to the managing director of UPRVUNL seeking his reply within a week. In his letter, he mentioned that despite having taken 8 years for erection/commissioning, the Anpara D unit had not been generating power even after having attained full load on June 6, 2015. Earlier this month, a fresh attempt to fire up the unit had also failed. The serious of failures over the last over four months has put up a big question mark on the quality of machine and turbines. more at: http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/bhel-constructed-thermal-power-plant-under-scanner-115081900735_1.html

Sunday, August 16, 2015

BHEL Saves Rs 54 Crore in Last Financial Year

The BHEL Boiler Auxiliary Plant (BAP) at Ranipet has achieved a financial saving of Rs 54 crore with 431 productivity improvement projects being implemented during the last financial year. This was disclosed by K Mysaiah, executive director of the BAP, while delivering the Independence Day address at the Dr Ambedkar Centenary Stadium on Saturday. Mysaiah said that the plant has filed 39 patents and copyrights this year out of the total 289 patents filed by BHEL so far. As a testimony to customer focus, BAP has received appreciations from customers like NTPC, Jindal Power, Panipat TPS and Kutch Lignite TPS for timely service and assistance resulting in bringing back their thermal power stations into operation. As part of its corporate social responsibility, the Ranipet unit has undertaken seven projects at a cost of Rs 45 lakh for the year 2014-15, he said and added that out of them, five have been already completed. The computer lab and a compound wall for the GHS School at Kodaikkal village will be completed soon under this project. ref: http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/BHEL-Saves-Rs-54-Crore-in-Last-Financial-Year/2015/08/16/article2976900.ece

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

BHEL announces ENM scheme for retired employees

The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on Wednesday announced Emergency Needs Mitigation (ENM) Scheme for 2015-16. According to a release, the scheme, applicable to employees who retired from the company prior to January 1, 2007, covers all the retired employees, at board level and below board level and those who are not covered under the BHEL Employees’ Pension Scheme. This is applicable to only those who were/are on the rolls of the company as on January 1, 2007 and onwards. For the financial year 2015-16, towards Common Emergency Needs listed under the scheme, a uniform financial support limited to Rs. 10,000 per beneficiary per annum has been approved. Eligible can apply for the BHEL ENM Scheme for 2015-16 at Manjeera Hall, HRDC, BHEL, R.C. Puram, Hyderabad-32 from August 13 to 22. ref: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/bhel-announces-enm-scheme-for-retired-employees/article7533428.ece

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

BHEL donates RO water plant

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Tiruchi, has donated Reverse Osmosis (RO) drinking water plant, 100 sets of furniture and books for the library, all worth Rs. 8 lakh, to the Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Vallam in Thanjavur district under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme on Monday. M. Jayakumaran, General Manager, Human Resources, BHEL Tiruchi, inaugurated the facility by operating the RO water plant. He underlined the advantages of learning in one’s own mother tongue. Mr Singh Jagadeesan, president, Vallam Panchayat, Murugaiyan, president of Parent Teacher Association of the school, spoke. ref: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/bhel-donates-ro-water-plant/article7524286.ece

Friday, August 7, 2015

BHEL commissions 500 MW thermal unit at Vindhyachal

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has added one more coal-based power plant to the grid by successfully commissioning the 500 MW Unit-13 of Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station (STPS), Stage-V of NTPC. The project is located in Vindhyanagar in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh. Significantly, BHEL has earlier commissioned six units of 500 MW rating each, at Vindhyachal power station. With the commissioning of this unit, BHEL has now commissioned seven sets of 500 MW each aggregating to 3,500 MW, the highest by BHEL in a power project, the company said in a press release. BHEL’s scope of work in the contract envisaged design, engineering, manufacture, supply and erection & commissioning of steam generator and steam turbine generator along with associated auxiliaries and state of the art controls and instrumentation. The equipment for the project was manufactured at BHEL’s Tiruchi, Ranipet, Haridwar, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Bhopal plants, while the company’s Power Sector - Western Region undertook erection and commissioning of the equipment. more at: http://www.thehindu.com/business/bhel-commissions-500-mw-thermal-unit-at-vindhyachal/article7513054.ece

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Private players cry foul over 'unfair' project allotment to BHEL

Power equipment manufacturers have complained to the government of anomalies in awarding engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts as a demand shortfall continues to hobble the sector. Represented by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), which have written to the power ministry, private equipment makers like Alstom, Bharat Forge, Larsen & Toubro and Toshiba have complained that state utilities are nominating central public-sector undertaking Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) for projects. Business Standard has reviewed both the letters. "We understand that a few state power utilities are of late contemplating bypassing the tendering process and awarding power plant EPC contracts to CPSUs (central public-sector undertakings) on nomination," said the Ficci letter to Minister of State for Coal, Power and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal. ref: http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/private-players-cry-foul-over-unfair-project-allotment-to-bhel-115080700053_1.html

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

BHEL likely to be next on the disinvestment list; ONGC, IOC sell-off may be delayed

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) could be next on the list of the Centre’s disinvestment offer, while mega issue of ONGC and Indian Oil may take some more time. The Centre plans to divest 5 per cent or around 12.24 crore shares in the power generation equipment maker BHEL. The company’s order book is healthy, with improvement in the power sector. During first three months (April-June), the company managed to get orders worth Rs. 20,000-25,000 crore while the outstanding in order book is now over Rs. 1 lakh crore. All these were reflected in the share prices, which has gained over 20 per cent since April 1. On Tuesday, share prices closed at Rs. 282. At this price, the Government could get over ₹3,400 crore. Stake sale will be carried through Offer for Sale via stock exchanges. Twenty per cent of shares offered will be reserved for retail investors i.e. those investors who placed bids for shares of total value of not more than Rs. 2 lakh. In addition 20 per cent discount will be also offered to retail investors. Although, the government has approvals for mega issue such as ONGC and Indian Oil, officials indicated that these would be delayed. “Though, there is clarity on subsidy sharing, the dip in crude prices is making things difficult for both the company,” an official said. The government plans to sell 42.78 crore shares of ONGC. At the Friday closing price of ₹266.90, the government could get little over Rs. 11,400 crore which is less than earlier estimate of Rs. 13,000 crore. ref: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/bhel-likely-to-be-next-on-the-disinvestment-list-ongc-ioc-selloff-may-be-delayed/article7499853.ece

Sunday, August 2, 2015

D Bandyopadhyay takes over as BHEL's Director (Human Resource)

D Bandyopadhyay has assumed charge as Director (Human Resource) of the company. Prior to this, Bandyopadhyay was Executive Director, Human Resource & Corporate Communication, dealing with various functions of HR, Management Services, CSR and IT, BHEL said in a statement. ref: http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/d-bandyopadhyay-takes-over-as-bhel-s-director-human-resource-115080101067_1.html