India would need 8 lakh MW power in 2030: Shinde

Kalwa (Thane), Dec 4 (UNI) Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said the country would need eight lakh MW power by 2030 and efforts should be made to cope-up with the whopping need.

Inaugurating the eighth Power Transformer factory at Kalwa near Mumbai, Mr Shinde said the country is facing power shortage of about 20,000 MW from which Maharashtra is facing a shortage of 3,500 to 4,000 MW.

He said in the 11th five year plan the centre plans to have more concentration on the power sector as so far orders have been placed for 56,000 MW and target of 80,000 MW could be reached.

Mr Shinde informed that at present Ratnagiri power project is generating 1200 MW and after the commencement of its third phase which is expected to be completed by March next year, it will be able to generate 2000 MW.

Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said that soon Siemens is going to open its new factory at Aurangabad.

Deshmukh admitted that some problems are arising is land acquisition but said that proper price package would be given to the farmers and strict instructions had been given not to purchase irrigated land. He also said National thermal power corporation is also on look out for land for their project in Vidarbha.

The new Siemens factory is set up over an area of 40,000 square meters, the new factory has been set up with an investment of Rs 200 crore and will cater to domestic as well as export markets. The manufacturing facility will provide a direct employment for about 500 people and indirect employment for about 1,000 people when in full production.

Siemens Managing Director J Schubert said that the new transformer factory will be able to address the heightened demand for power transmission equipment in the country by designing and manufacturing large transformers of power rating upto 600 MVA and 800 KV voltage class, which is the maximum voltage established presently in India.

He said various state electricity boards from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh have placed their orders and added all the countries from SAARC and middle east are good markets for Siemens.

The factory will also produce special application transformers such as for HVDC and traction furnace applications. In the near future, the factory will also be able to strengthen the transmission network through its 1200 KV class transformers, in view of the 1200 KV lines that are envisaged in the near future. To start with, the new facility has a capacity to manufacture 15,000 MVA annually.

Power Transmission and Distribution (PTD) Group President Dr Udo Niehage said, ''India is a very important market for growth of our power business globally. The power transformer segment in India is poised to grow at a significant pace in the future, specially driven by the reforms in the power sector.

Siemens in India comprises of 19 legal entities that provide industry and infrastructure solutions with a business volume aggregating about Rs 11,000 crore.

It operates in the core business segments of Energy, Industry Transportation, Healthcare, Information Technology, Communication and Lighting. It has nation-wide Sales and Service network, 18 manufacturing plants, some 500 strong network of channel partners and employs over 18,000 people.

UNI