Author: PPD Team Date: 24/03/2025
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has secured a major contract from Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSECL) for the expansion of the Ukai thermal power station in Tapi district, Gujarat.
The company received a letter of intent (LoI) for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) package of the 1×800 MW extension unit 7.
The contract, valued at approximately Rs 75 billion, includes the supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of the boiler, turbine, generator, and associated auxiliaries. It also covers electrical, control & instrumentation, and balance of plant packages, along with civil works. The project, awarded through international competitive bidding, is expected to be completed within 54 months.
GSECL is developing the project at Vagda village in the Tapi district. The new 800 MW unit will replace three ageing units, two of 120 MW each and one of 200 MW, at the Ukai thermal power plant.
The plant will operate on domestic coal, with a requirement of around 3.34 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) at an 85% plant load factor (PLF). Coal will be transported via the existing railway line from Songadh. Light diesel oil (LDO) will be used as start-up fuel, while heavy fuel oil (HFO) will aid flame stabilization when operating below 30% load.
The estimated water requirement for the new unit is about 1,900 cubic meters per hour. The plant will source water from the Ukai left bank main canal, which has sufficient capacity to support both the new and existing units.
To meet environmental norms, the project includes a limestone-based wet flue gas desulphurization (FGD) system, ensuring compliance with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) regulations on sulfur dioxide emissions.
Power evacuation from the plant will be managed through two dedicated 400 kV high-capacity transmission lines, connecting to a 400 kV substation of Gujarat Electricity Transmission Company Limited (GETCO).
In January 2023, BHEL also secured a Rs 3 billion contract for the renovation and modernization of steam turbines for the 200 MW Unit-3 and 210 MW Unit-5 at the Ukai plant.