Toshiba JSW plant set to commence by 2011 end

Toshiba JSW is planning to commence Phase-I operations of its super-critical power equipment manufacturing plant at Ennore, near Chennai, by the end of 2011. The Rs 1,000 crore is expected to go on stream by 2014.

Pramod Menon, chief financial officer, JSW Energy said the facility, which would go on stream by the end of 2011 would manufacture turbines of 3,000 Mw capacity. In 2012 the company would commence two super critical STGs (steam turbine generators) and by 2014 four super STGs would be operational.

He added that land allotment for the project is over. The project is expected to come up on 100 acres at Ennore, near Chennai. The Toshiba-JSW (of OP Jindal group) joint venture is planning to manufacture supercritical power boilers from the facility.

“Our initial focus would be the domestic market and will evaluate exports after we cater to the domestic market,” said Menon.

It may be recalled that last November the joint venture partners had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government to set up a manufacturing facility.

The JV partners said they are planning to invest around Rs 800 crore in the facility over the next five years, with around 80 per cent of the amount going into Phase-I. The plant will also recruit about 500 employees by 2014.

The memorandum of understanding allows Toshiba to lease land of about 400,000 square feet on long-term. Infrastructure support in the form of better roads from the Ennore Port to the plant, water and electricity will be provided by the state government, according to Atsuhiko Izumi, vice-president (power systems), Toshiba Corporation.

Toshiba JSW expects sales of $400 million by financial 2015, Izumi said earlier.