The 1,200-mw thermal power
project of Coastal Energy Pvt
Ltd in Tamil Nadu is on
schedule and is expected to
commission before March 2013. The
largest merchant power plant in
Tamil Nadu, the project is coming up
at a coastal location in Tuticorin
district. Coastal Energy, the power
generation arm of the Coal & Oil
Group, has so far spent Rs.4,000 crore
on the project, a company statement
observed.
According to Ahmed A. R. Buhari,
Founder President & CEO, Coal & Oil
Group of Companies, 80 per cent of
the plant's civil infrastructure is
complete with over 5,400 skilled
workers working at the site. The
boiler drum lifting for the first unit
was achieved on July 4, 2011 and that
of Unit 2 on October 12, 2011. The
project achieved financial closure
during the peak of the global
financial crisis in July 2009 with
lenders led by State Bank of India
extending Rs.3,450 crore.
About 85 per cent of BTG
equipment has reached the site from
Harbin Electric International Ltd,
China, a statement by Coastal Energy
observed. The balance of plant
equipment has been contracted with
suppliers like ABB, Thyssenkrupp,
ITT, Aquatech etc. Power will be
evacuated with a 400kV transmission
line being developed by Power Grid
Corporation of India, the statement
further noted.
The coal-fired plant is located at
Melamarudur village, Ottapidaram
taluk-within 21 km of a major port,
and has excellent road, rail and air
connectivity.