Gandhinagar

The 300 MW Coal Fired Power Station of OPGS Power Gujarat Pvt. Ltd. will be inaugurated by Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel on the 28th February 2015.

OPGS Power Gujarat is a subsidiary of OPG Power Ventures PLC which is incorporated in the United Kingdom and listed on London Stock Exchange since April 2008.

The business of OPG Power Ventures is to establish and operate Power Generation Stations in India. OPG Power Ventures has established 750 MW of capacity in India through its Indian subsidiaries including OPGS Power Gujarat.

OPG Power Ventures funds its Indian operations with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity capital. The Gujarat Power Station investment is also a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by OPG Power Ventures PLC in the equity capital of the Project.

The OPG Group selected Gujarat for its first venture outside Tamil Nadu in consideration of the investment friendly policies of the Gujarat State Government, the high economic growth achieved by the State in the last decade and the concentration of major industry in Gujarat.

This 300 MW Power Station in Bhadreshwar in the district of Kutch is the first OPG venture in Gujarat. The Project was conceived and initiated 7 years ago with actual construction commencing during late 2012 and completed inabout 3 years from the start date. The total cost of the project is Rs.1855 Crores with equity capital of Rs.464 Crores. The plant has a staff complement of some 150 persons presently, which will rise to 300 shortly, besides which indirect employment will be generated for about 1800 persons.

This new Power Station incorporates several features of the latest technology including:

– air cooled condensers-air cooling is a significant conservation measure which reduces the water requirements of a power plant by over 90 %; and marks the first occasion in Gujarat and in India for the incorporation of this proven technology in a plant of 300 MW capacity

– dry ash handling – the residual ash produced by the plant is entirely dry, fly ash which is usable for a variety of industrial purposes; another conservation measure which eliminates the treatment of wet slurry ash

– covered coal storage – this type of storage – a first for a 300 MW plant in India – ensures that coal dust particles are not subject to atmospheric release

– Switchyard with advanced high resistance and reliability GIS insulation which conserves land use as well.

The plant’s boilers can burn a range of coals from low moisture, high ash Indian coal to high moisture, low ash imported coal either exclusively or in any blend of the two. The plants twin-stack chimney, rising 220 M, ensures low particulate discharge and is fully compliant with state, central and international standards.

The Company has already initiated Corporate Social Responsibility and support programmes in the local area which include the establishment of a stitching centre for 20 women, provision of additional teaching staff in the local schools, provision of uniforms for primary school children, establishment of 100 household toilets under the Mahatma Gandhi SwachhattaAbhyan, maintenance of Goshalas in the area, conduct of free eye camps, laying of Road from Bhadreshwarvillage to the Mahadev temple and so on.

Given its experience in bringing this Project to fruition with support and co-operation received from the State Government during construction, the OPG Group expects to establish more Power Stations in the State in due course. Such Power Stations, when built will also be based on FDI equity capital.

In this way, the OPG Group expects to be actively involved in contributing to the electricity deals and economic &industrial growth of the State. Further investments by the Group in power stations in the state will not only contribute to all round growth in industry and agriculture but also generate direct and indirect employment opportunities for about 5000 persons.

The experience of OPG in completing in a timely manner a modern Power Station in the State, will induce and result in flow of more such FDI investment from leading international investors.

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