Alstom India Secures $54 Million Contract from Lanco Infratech for 500-Megawatt Hydropower Plant

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In a recent press release, Alstom Projects India Limited (BSE:532309) (APIL) (New Delhi), a majority-owned subsidiary company of Alstom SA (EPA:ALO) (Levallois-Perret, France), announced that the company has been awarded a $54 million contract by Lanco Infratech Limited (BSE:532778) (Gurgaon, Haryana) to install a new 500-megawatt (MW) hydropower plant on the Teesta river in Sikkim. Power generated by the project will be fed to the national power grid.

Under the contract, Alstom Hydro will supply four 125-MW Francis turbine and generators, the main inlet valves, and systems for control and protection. The contract includes the design, engineering, construction, testing, installation and commissioning of the new plant, which is scheduled to be completed by 2013. Alstom Hydro's facility at Vadodara in Gujarat will execute the complete contract. Alstom Hydro is a joint venture between Alstom and infrastructure company Bouygues SA (EPA:EN) (Paris, France).

Alstom is currently involved in the development of five other hydropower projects in India. The 240-MW Lower Jurala hydroelectric power project is being developed on the Krishna river basin in Andhra Pradesh. The project will use six Adjustable Blades Bulb turbine generator sets of 40 MW each. The $182 million project was proposed in 2006. The first unit is scheduled to be commissioned in May 2011, followed by the remaining five turbines at intervals of four months each. The project contract was awarded to Alstom in 2007 by Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh).

The 231-MW Chamera Phase III hydropower project is being set up on the basin of River Ravi in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The $288 million project is scheduled to be commissioned by August 2010. The power plant will use three 77-MW Francis turbine generator sets.

The 240-MW Uri-II hydroelectric power project is being developed in Uri Tehsil in the Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir. The project will utilize the tail water of the Uri-I power plant. The $354 million power project is tentatively scheduled to be commissioned by February 2011, and the project involves the use of four 60-MW Francis turbine generator sets.

The 2,000-MW Upper Subansiri hydroelectric power project is being developed on the Upper Subansiri River in Arunachal Pradesh. The $1.8 billion project will require seven years for completion from the date of receiving government clearance. The power plant will use eight 250-MW Francis turbine generator sets. The detailed project report is currently being prepared. India's state-owned hydroelectric utility, NHPC Limited (Faridabad, Haryana) awarded Alstom with the contracts for the Chamera-III, Uri-II and the Upper Subansiri hydroelectric power projects.

The 110-MW Chuzachen hydroelectric power project is being set up on the Rangpo and Rangli rivers, which are tributaries of the Teesta in Sikkim. The $128 million project will use two 55-MW vertical Francis turbine generator sets. Alstom was awarded the project contract in 2007 by Gati Infrastructure Limited (Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh). Although the project was scheduled to be commissioned this year, it has had to face several delays because of natural disasters.

The Francis turbine is the most commonly used water turbine today. It is an inward flow reaction turbine that combines both axial and radial flow principles. Its unique feature is that while water enters the turbine in a radial direction, it exits axially after gradually changing direction. It is available in both horizontal and vertical types. The turbines operate in a head range from 10 meters to 300 meters and are mostly used for power generation. The Francis turbine is popular because of high efficiency, reliable operation and simple construction.

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