Singapore-based Sembcorp Industries has commissioned the second and final 660MW unit of the $1.5bn coal-fired power plant in the coastal town of Krishnapatnam, in Andhra Pradesh state of India.
The 1,320MW power station, which is the first power project of Sembcorp in India, features two units.
Each of the unit has a power generation capacity of 660MW with the first unit already being operational since April.
The project is owned and operated by Thermal Powertech Corporation India (TPCIL) which is a joint venture between Sembcorp and Gayatri Energy Ventures.
Sembcorp through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sembcorp Utilities owns a 67.4% stake in the project while remaining 32.6% stake is owned by Gayatri Energy Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gayatri Projects.
The power plant also features supercritical technology for enhanced efficiency and reduced emissions when compared to other conventional coal-fired power plants while meeting increasing power demand in the southern part of the country.
TPCIL CEO Atul Nargund said: "With this, the plant is fully operational with gross generation capacity of 1,320 megawatts, helping to meet the increasing power demand in the southern states of India and supporting their economic growth."
About 500MW of the total output of the power plant is sold to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana power distribution companies under a 25-year power purchase agreement.
Sembcorp is considering signing further power purchase agreements for the power station in the near future.
The company is also developing a 1,320MW coal-fired power plant adjacent to TPCIL in India, with 49% stake while the remaining stake is owned by NCC Infrastructure Holdings, a joint company of NCC and Gayatri Energy Ventures.
This project is scheduled to be completed in 2016.
Sembcorp group president and CEO Tang Kin Fei said: "We now look forward to the completion of our second coal-fired power plant in Andhra Pradesh, which is expected in 2016.
"When fully operational, our two thermal power plants will generate a total of 2,640 megawatts of gross capacity.
"This will help to meet the increasing power demand in India and particularly the southern states."
Sembcorp also owns Sembcorp Green Infra, a India-based renewable energy company which has more than 700MW of assets in operation and under development, with 64.06% stake.
Image: Sembcorp is planning to sign power purchase agreements in the near future. Photo: courtesy of John Kasawa/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net.