BHEL commissions 250 Mw eco-friendly power plant in Gujarat

State-run BHEL has commissioned another 250 Mw unit based on eco-friendly circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) technology, using low quality coal (lignite) as the primary fuel.

The unit has been commissioned at Bhavnagar Energy Company 2x250 Mw thermal power project, located at Padva village in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, the company said in a statement.

The project is equipped with CFBC technology that enables use of low quality lignite as fuel. The second unit of this project is also at an advanced stage of completion.

This is the third 250 Mw unit based on CFBC technology commissioned by BHEL, with two others commissioned earlier in Tamil Nadu.

CFBC boilers are highly fuel flexible and can burn a wide variety of fuels, including lignite, efficiently. These boilers are also highly environment friendly with very low pollutant emissions.

Lignite reserves in the country have been estimated at around 40.9 billion tonnes. Presently, only a small percentage of the total reserves of lignite have been exploited. CFBC boilers provide an excellent opportunity for gainfully using these huge lignite reserves.

BHEL's scope of work in the contract envisaged design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning of boilers, steam turbines and generators along with associated auxiliaries and electricals, and state-of-the-art controls & instrumentation, among others.