Tata Power eyes SAARC, SE Asia, Africa for growth

To fuel its ambitious growth plans, Tata Power is focusing on overseas opportunities spread across four regions including South East Asia and SAARC.

Besides, Tata Power, which aims to have 18,000 MW generation capacity by 2022, is exploring business opportunities in the African and Middle East regions.

Currently, the private power utility has an installed generation capacity of 8,560 MW while projects having capacity of nearly 850 MW are under execution.

"The company has ambitious plans to keep fuelling its multi-fold growth across the power value chain. The company aims to generate 18,000 MW by 2022 as well as additional 4,000 MW of management of distribution networks," Tata Power Managing Director Anil Sardana told PTI.

According to him, the company has prioritised four key regions for international play.

"These include African region, South East Asian region; Middle East region and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) region. The company has deployed resources in these regional geographies to understand the market dynamics and scout for opportunities, he noted.

Tata Power is looking at these regions after taking into account various aspects such as "opportunities; risks; likely rewards; law and order situation and ethics cum values prevalent in these geographies", he said.

In the SAARC grouping, there are eight countries, including India. Others are Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

At present, Tata Power is developing wind and hydro projects in Africa, Bhutan and Georgia, among others.

The 126-MW Dagachhu hydel project, being developed in partnership with the Bhutan government, is expected to be commissioned soon.

With regard to the Dagachhu project, Sardana said civil works are progressing as planned.

"Tunnel excavation and tunnel lining is in progress. Slope stabilisation and the concreting works for the headrace channel are in progress. Fish ladder is being constructed. Seventy-five per cent erection of turbines has been completed and overall 65 per cent electro-mechanical erection has been completed.

"The project is being pursued to be commissioned around May 2014, before monsoon," he said.

The company's current generation capacity comprises electricity from thermal, green and waste gases energy sources.

"Tata Power is also in the process of executing a number of power projects, which, upon completion, are expected to increase the company's overall generation capacity by 849.2 MW.

"The eight projects under execution are solar, wind, hydro and gas based projects in India and overseas...," Sardana said.