Russia's Power Machines launches first power plant in India

New Delhi, Sep 8 (UNI) Power Machines, Russia's leading heavy machinery manufacturer, today launched the first unit of the Tehri Hydro Power Complex, India's largest hydroelectric power plant, near New Delhi, a regional representative of the company said. The company commissioned the first out of four units of the controversial Tehri Hydro Power Plant, which is part of the ambitious Tehri Hydro Power Complex, located 200 miles Northeast of Delhi, with a capacity of 2,400 MW.

The official ceremony for the first unit's opening is scheduled for September 23 and is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi.

The plant comprises the 1,000 MW Tehri Dam and Hydro Power Plant, the 1,000 MW Tehri Pump Storage Plant and the 400 MW Koteshwar Dam and Power Plant.

Silovye Mashiny branch in India Director Andrei Mironov said the project was the largest in Asia, with the 260 meter high Tehri Dam located on the Bhagirathi River, and added that the first unit would be able to produce 250 MW.

The project emerged in 1972 and construction began in 1978.

Although it was shelved in the mid-1980s after protests from local villagers and environmentalists, work soon resumed.

In 1986 India and the Soviet Union signed an agreement under which Russian experts would assist the project and the Soviet Union also provided about 416 million dollars in aid to the construction.

In 1998 the project was handed over to Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC).

Power Machines produces equipment for hydro, thermal, gas and nuclear power plants, and the transportation industry. The company has clients in 87 countries. Its revenues totaled almost 600 million dollars in 2005, including 7.1 million dollars in net profit.

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