NTPC-BHEL JV eyeing global technology partner

NTPC-BHEL Power Projects, the joint venture between state-run BHEL and NTPC for making power equipment among others, is likely to rope in a global technology provider and may offer a minority stake, an NTPC official said today.

"We are looking for a technological tie up with a global firm to join us in our joint venture with BHEL," the official said, adding, "we are talks with various foreign firms."

He however, declined to name those companies.

The technology would be mainly used for coal and ash handling plants of the projects that would be taken up by NTPC-BHEL Power Projects Pvt Ltd (NBPPL).

"NBPPL need technology for coal as well as ash handling plants ... If it (global firm) wants to pick up stake they can," the official said.

NTPC-BHEL Power Projects is a 50:50 JV firm between power producer NTPC and equipment maker BHEL for carrying out engineering, procurement and construction contracts, besides manufacturing and supplying equipment for power plants.

The JV has an order book of about Rs 450 crore. It is targeting an order book of Rs 7,000 crore by the end of the current fiscal.

At present, NBPPL is working on the 100-MW Namrup Power Station in Assam and the 726-MW combined cycle power plant being set up by ONGC Tripura Power Corporation at Palatana, in Tripura.

It is also executing the 500-MW Singrauli thermal power plant and the 600-MW thermal power plant of Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Ltd (APGENCO) at Rayalseema.

NBPPL falls under the administrative control of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Industries.