NASL & GE’s Power Services to upgrade three steam turbines at Ramagundam Thermal Plant in India

India’s largest utility NTPC Limited (NTPC) has issued Notice of Award on December 14, 2016 through international competitive bidding to NTPC GE Joint Venture (NASL) and GE’s Power Services business to upgrade three steam turbines at the Ramagundam Super Thermal Power Plant in the state of Telangana. The total contract value of $64.51M also includes the value $29.22M for GEPIL (GE Power India Limited).

As part of the contract, the NASL and GE will perform shaftline retrofits of three, 200-MW Ansaldo steam turbines in Stage 1 of the Ramagundam station. More than 30-years-old, the three units were originally installed between 1982 and 1983. Once complete, the plant is expected to increase their output by approximately 10 megawatts and the thermal heat rate of each turbine by 14 percent. In addition, the turbine controls will be modernized to increase operation flexibility. The scope also includes supply of other associated equipment, including generator auxiliaries.

“Coal-fired power generation provides electricity for about 40% of the world,” said Paul McElhinney, President and CEO of GE’s Power Services. “It also accounts for nearly 75% of the electricity sector’s carbon emissions because many of the plants are older and inefficient, particularly in countries such as India and China. Our recent study shows CO2 emissions could be cut by 10 percent, or 1.1 billion tonnes a year, if technology to boost the efficiency of coal and gas-fired power plants were installed in every existing plant around the world.

Image: Ramagundam Super Thermal Power Station (Source: NTPC Ltd.)