India’s Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has received a INR100bn ($1.5bn) order to design, build and install 1320MW (2 X 660MW) Maitree Super Thermal Power Project to be located in Rampal, Bangladesh.
The company claims that it won the contract against international competitive bidding and it has received green signal to from the developer, Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company (BIFPCL) to start the work related to the contract.
BIFPCL is a 50-50 joint venture between India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
Through EXIM Bank of India, Bhel has arranged debt finance for the Maitree project.
For the project, BHEL will design, engineer, manufacture, supply, construct, erect, test and commission the two 660MW thermal sets with ultra-supercritical parameters.
As part of the contract, BHEL will also setup a jetty and a river-water intake system. It will also install the latest Flue-gas desulfurization (FGB) plant and dry bottom ash handling system at the power plant.
Equipment for the project will be manufactured at BHEL’s facilities in Trichy, Haridwar, Hyderabad, Ranipet, Bhopal, Bangalore and Jhansi. And the construction and installation activities at the site will be taken up by the company’s Power Sector construction division.
Earlier this month, during the visit of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), especially in the power and oil and gas, between the countries were inked. Financing the Maitree project was also part of the deals, Press Trust of India reported.
After entering Bangladesh’s power sector, Bhel's major contract was the 100MW Baghabari Gas Turbine Power Project (GTTP), which was commissioned in 2001.
Later on, it constructed the 240MW Siddhirganj GTTP, along with setting up the 220kV Baghabari & Ishurdi substations.