GE Bags Rs 125 Cr Service Contracts for upgrading Coal Power Plants to Cut Emissions

In a bid to reduce emissions, GE Power India Ltd (GEPIL) has received three separate orders aggregating worth Rs 125 crore (USD 16.54 million) for upgrading coal-fired power plants' equipment from STEAG Energy (for Vedanta), Tata Power and JSW Steel.

Commenting on winning the orders, Prashant Jain, Managing Director of GE Power India, said, “we are truly delighted to receive these three orders from our esteemed customers. It is reflective of GE’s commitment to help address the critical need to upgrade existing coal power plants in ways that reduce emissions. With local expertise and best-in-class services for GE steam turbines and generators, we are servicing more than 650 other OEM units and 170 other OEM Chinese units across the India region.”

The company has won first order from STEAG Energy Services (India) for complete replacement of economizer zone tube bank for 2 units of 600 MW Chinese make boilers for the end customer, Vedanta’s Jharsuguda power plant in Odisha. This upgrade is part of the overall renovation program to make the boiler system more efficient and reliable. The scope of the project includes design, engineering, manufacturing, supplying, erection, testing, and commissioning of the new boiler pressure parts and other associated components.

“STEAG is engaged as the O&M contractor at 4x600MW power plant and there was need to restore the integrity of the boilers to ensure safe and reliable power for the smelter. We needed a reliable solutions partner for this major renovation job. We are very happy to partner with GE on this project,” said Dr. Jacob T. Verghese, Chairman STEAG Energy Services (India).

Commenting further on the order, C.N Singh, CEO Jharsuguda, Vedanta Ltd, said, “we are focused on all-round operational excellence to achieve benchmark performance of plant and equipment across our business by adopting best technology. GE is a great partner to upgrade our Boiler with its state-of-the-art technology.”

GE has won second order from Tata Power as it will be implementing a combustion modification system for their existing Indian make boilers along with advanced firing system equipment to meet the NOx emission norms for their Jojobera plant at Jharkhand. The upgrade will reduce NOx emissions to well below 450 mg/Nm3, helping the customer conform to India’s emission norms laid by the Environment Pollution Control Board.

Speaking on the partnership, Monish Kumar, Chief - Corporate Contracts, Tata Power, said “we are glad to collaborate with GE to implement their combustion modification system for our existing Indian make - boilers along with advanced firing system equipment to meet the NOx emission norms for our Jojobera plant at Jharkhand. This upgrade will reduce NOx emissions to well below 450 mg/Nm3, helping us to conform to India’s emission norms laid by the Environment Pollution Control Board.”

Besides, GE has secured its third order from JSW Steel for its’s Bellary plant in Karnataka intended to enhance the capacity of their existing Indian make coal mills with the latest GE mill technology. The upgrade will increase mill output to ensure better coal injection rate to the furnace with improved reliability and availability. Post the upgrade, JSW will also have benefit of spares optimization as similar mills are already in operation at site.

Meanwhile, GE said that supporting the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, all the major components like pressure parts for the upgrades for all the three projects will be manufactured in India at it’s factory located in Durgapur, West Bengal.