“We are ready to execute power projects within the challenging timelines…”

Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt. Ltd. (TJPS) is a Joint Venture between Toshiba Corporation, Japan and JSW Group, India. It was initially incorporated to manufacture and market Super-critical Steam Turbines and Generators for Thermal Power Plants in India. It has been merged with Toshiba Thermal & Hydro Power Systems Company, a division of Toshiba India Private Limited, to broaden the gamut from Manufacturing to One-stop Solution for Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Construction and Services (EMPCS) of Thermal Power Plant. In an exclusive e-interview with Electrical India, Managing Director of the company Yoshiaki Inayama is briefing on their operations to PK Chatterjee. Excerpts... 

How is Toshiba JSW Power Systems’ business growing in India?

India currently has an installed capacity of 306 GW as of September 2016, and as per planned programme to attain energy security, the installed capacity relating to planned GDP growth, the estimated demand of electricity by 2031-2032 would be in the range of 2,632 Billion units as against the current estimate of 1,227 Billion units. This demand would entail development and application of new and efficient technologies.

Toshiba with its developed and continued efforts on enhancing efficiency would play an important role in application of its state-of-the-art equipment including Ultra Super critical and Advance Ultra super critical technologies. In addition to that, it is very important to improve existing plant efficiency by applying proper maintenance and/or replacing old units with Ultra Super critical plant.

With our manufacturing facility in Chennai having an installed capacity of 3000MW, Toshiba JSW is geared to contribute to the government’s goal to provide 24×7 electricity for Domestic , Industrial, Commercial and Agriculture sector. We are actively participating – and are in the process of positioning ourselves as a significant player in the Thermal Power Sector as a Turnkey EPC contractor and Number 1 EMPCS company in India. We are also ready to execute power projects within the challenging timelines demanded by the IPPs. We can also contribute to improve executing plant efficiency utilising our facility and Toshiba’s technology and experience.

Could you please tell me about your company’s contribution in erecting the Kudgi Super-critical Thermal Power Station in Karnataka?

In February 2012, Toshiba Group won the order for three 800MW steam turbine and generator island packages (STG) for the Kudgi Super-critical Thermal Power Station from NTPC.

In our continuing effort to contribute towards growth of power sector in India, upon delivering the first Generator of the Contract awarded by Toshiba, the Indian unit of Toshiba M/s TJPS shipped its first ‘Made-in-India’ Generator for Kudgi Unit 2, marking a significant milestone in its endeavour to offer customers state-of-the-art power generations solutions manufactured in India.

The 800-megawatt Generator for Unit 2 of the Kudgi Super-critical Thermal Power Station in Karnataka state was Toshiba’s first large-scale generation system to be manufactured and assembled with locally procured parts and systems, and tested in India. With this shipment TJPS embarked on its local manufacturing – from procurement to testing and shipping, for customers in India and the neighbouring countries.

The major supplies have been made and delivered at Kudgi site and installation work is proceeding at fast pace. Toshiba is proceeding the works at site in line with targeted schedule of the Customer.

We are committed to deliver state-of-the-art and the highest quality products and support the Indian Government’s ‘Make-in-India’ campaign. With the manufacturing and supply of Turbines and Generators, we will continue to develop and contribute to the growth of Power sector for benefit to end users FOR THE NEXT INDIA.

What are your other continuing projects?

In the last FY, TJPS was awarded a full EPC Contract by Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd. (UPRVUNL), valued at Rs. 3436 crore for 660 MW Harduaganj Ultra-supercritical Thermal Power Project. It is the first turnkey EPC contract for TJPS in India. Apart from this, TJPS is currently executing orders of NTPC Darlipali that involves supply of 2×800 MW steam turbine generator island.

What are the fundamental differences in components’ construction between an ordinary and a super-critical power plant?

It is evident that with application of higher steam parameters, the improvement of efficiency in performance is achieved that brings several benefits to the user and ultimate consumer. This is achieved with improvement in design of components, construction and operational flexibility with reduced maintenance schedules.

The main area where variation in components in manufacture and construction of Super Critical Steam Turbines over Sub Critical Steam Turbine are as follows;

  1. Materials for Rotors, Blades Nozzles and Casings which consist steam passage are heat resist, high strength materials.
    b. Design for high-efficient cooling is applied. In addition to that high efficient blade design and sealing design are allied for better efficiency.
    c. Special welding and machining technologies are applied for high strength materials.

How are you addressing the ‘Make in India’ drive?

Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt Ltd (TJPS) has already established itself as a dominant player in the Supercritical Steam Turbines And Generators (STG) in the 660 – 800 MW category in India, having won orders for eight units of Steam Turbine Generator sets as of now.

Today, TJPS is a leading manufacturer for thermal power generation equipment in India, established with an aim to offer one-stop solution for Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Construction and Services (EMPCS) of thermal power plants in India – and our aim is to become World’s No. 1 EMPCS company.

On August 19, 2016, TJPS marked a significant milestone in its endeavour to offer customers state-of-the-art power generations solutions with shipment of its first ‘Made-in-India’ steam turbine generator. The 800-megawatt steam turbine generator (STG) for Unit 2 of the Kudgi Super-critical Thermal Power Station in Karnataka state was Toshiba’s first large-scale generation system to be manufactured and assembled with locally procured parts and systems, and tested in India.

With this shipment we embarked on our local manufacturing – from procurement to testing and shipping, for customers in India and the neighbouring countries. We are determined to continue to deliver excellent products under our commitment to the Indian Government’s ‘Make-in-India’ campaign. With the manufacturing and supply of turbines and generators, we will continue to contribute to the growth of industries FOR THE NEXT INDIA.

What is exactly meant by EMPCS, and what’s its significance?

EMPCS refers to Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Construction and Services.

Toshiba with its extensive experience and global exposure in Power Equipment covering Thermal, Hydro, Geothermal, Nuclear, renewable energy besides control systems have been providing services that cover Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Construction and after sales Services for ensuring that products supplied continue to fulfil the purpose for which these products are provided.

With its global reach and availability of feedback for efficient use and continued performance, Toshiba provides single point solution for providing state-of-the-art products covering most optimised design, manufacturing processes using raw materials and components that comply with desired quality, sequential construction for meeting scheduled targets and ensuring continued after sales services for efficient operation of products. This signifies that the product is effectively and efficiently in use for its designed life.

What are the most innovative aspects of your turbine or generator manufacturing technology?

TJPS Chennai Factory has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, such as high performance and productivity large machine tools, CMM for turbine blades, robotic welding system for turbine components, highly automated Generator components manufacturing facilities and world’s largest High Speed Balancing Machine.

We also have engineers and supervisors who are trained for Industrial Engineering and Six-Sigma, and they have been improving our manufacturing processes.

In addition to those, in order to manufacture quality products in time, TJPS has many high-skilled operators – and they have been improving their skills continuously.

What is your comment on the cost-competitiveness of the Toshiba JSW products?

Toshiba while designing and manufacturing the products for power sector and especially Steam Turbine Generator sets consider the operational costs for its useful life as prime so that the owner continues to reap commercial advantage over the useful life of Power plant.

Toshiba also ensures that initial product cost is competitive and meets the market benchmarks. As Toshiba takes pride in its products and their performance, the Owner’s concern for initial costs and operating cost for its useful life provides reliable and competitive cost of power generation to have reasonable return on investment.

In 1994, two units of 500 MW each were made commercially operational in Uttar Pradesh for UPRUVNL on turnkey basis. The STG sets designed, supplied and commissioned by Toshiba are performing extremely well. The plant load factor achieved by these two units for last 22 years have been in excess of 80%, and especially from 2001 to 2016 the Plant Laod Factor (PLF) has been above 83% – and in the year 2015-2016 the PLF touched 90%. From the factual data, it is seen that even after 22 years the units are performing excellently.

In addition, the performance level of Steam Turbine Generator units supplied for Mundra UMPP owned by M/s Coastal Gujarat Power Limited (A Tata Power company), the units have been performing extremely well since 2012.

We at TJPS strive to achieve best results for our customers in providing products and services that make owners to have uninterrupted and reliable output from our products.

How do you go about servicing or maintenance of the generators and turbines?

We continue to provide timely advice and services to projects commissioned by Toshiba in India. For doing so, our engineers positioned at tjps chennai, tjps gurgaon support our customers effectively, and additionally we also support our customers with our globally certified and experienced technically qualified engineers from Japan, Australia and USA for ensuring applicability of new methodologies for providing services for efficient operation of units.

We, besides utilising global technical knowledge developed by Toshiba group, have developed sufficient service facility at our Chennai works – and also our Technical Advisors at TJPS Chennai and Gurgaon for existing Steam Turbine Generator units in India including control systems.

For the equipment which are outsourced by us, which is an auxiliary or an ancillary component, we tie up with manufacturers of these components and provide services to our customers under single point responsibility.

What would you like to communicate to the decision makers who are planning to construct new power plants?

While we appreciate and respect the decision of each decision maker’s planning to construct new plants, we believe that main aspects should be focused on quality, ease and flexibility of operation and availability of services – besides cost competitiveness covering initial investment as well operational costs for the entire useful life of the equipment.

We would like to stress emphatically on the following:

  1. a) Technology with efficiency
    b) Reliable product performance
    c)The overall costs covering initial costs for setting up the plant and operational costs for its useful life for ensuring targeted return on investment for providing affordable and reliable power from the generating plant.

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