Chennai transforms into power equipment manufacturing hub

Toshiba plans to diversify into EPC

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Chennai is slowly being transformed into a power-equipment manufacturing hub with Japanese firm Toshiba planning to outsource steam turbines from a manufacturing plant in the city for super critical power plants in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

Managing director of Toshiba India Private Limited Kenji Urai told Express that Manali-based Toshiba JSW Turbine and Generator Pvt. Ltd, a joint venture between Jindal’s JSW Energy and Japan-based Toshiba Corporation, started rolling out its first product in June 2011. 

Toshiba JSW will manufacture and market mid- to large-sized steam turbines and generators, ranging in size from 500-megawatts to 1,000MW, for highly efficient super-critical thermal power plants in India, he said.

But infrastructure has been a bottleneck as the trailers are required to transport the generators which weigh about 400 tonnes. “The state government has promised us that it will build a flyover from the factory to Ennore to ship the generators,” he said.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the South India Infrastructure Investment Summit 2011, organized by Confederation of Indian Industry.

“Toshiba is now planning to diversify into engineering procurement and cobstruction (EPC) besides manufacturing of steam turbines,” said Urai.

Currently, Toshiba has signed Letter of Intent with the Uttar Pradesh government of developing 2X660 MW super critical power plant besides the company is on the verge of clinching a deal of another 3X800 MW plant in Karnataka, said Urai.

Earlier addressing a press conference, Hidenobu Teramura, director of Financial Corporation Division Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan highlighted that lack of infrastructure in the city has been a stumbling block in the flow of Japanese investments.

He said Japan is willing to help Tamil Nadu develop its infrastructure by sharing its technical knowhow and global; expertise. “But, we can’t do it alone. We want to have a partnership with Indian companies,” said Teramura