BHEL emerges lowest bidder for NPCIL's Rs 10,800 crore tender

State-owned engineering firm BHEL has emerged as the lowest bidder for projects worth Rs 10,800 crore for supply of equipment for 6x700 megawatt nuclear power projects of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).

BHEL in a regulatory filing on Wednesday said, "In an open competitive bidding process, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has emerged as the lowest bidder (~Rs.10,800 Crore) for the fleet mode tender floated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) for the 6x700 MW Turbine Island Package Projects."

The company added, "Significantly, with this, BHEL has retained its market leadership position of being the sole Indian supplier of Nuclear Steam Turbines."

Notably, PHWRs (Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors) are the mainstay of the Indian Nuclear Power Programme and 12 out of 18 operating PHWRs of NPCIL are equipped with BHEL-supplied Steam Turbine Generator sets (10x220 MWe + 2x540 MWe) with the balance from Canada and Ukraine. These sets have continuously been exhibiting excellent performance with Kaiga Unit -1 creating a world record of uninterrupted operation for 962 days.

Additionally, BHEL has already supplied 2x700 MWe Steam Turbine Generator sets each for Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant (Unit 3&4) and Rawatbhata Atomic Power Plant (Unit 7&8).

BHEL has been a reliable supplier of critical equipment and services for India's Nuclear Programme for many decades with specialised manufacturing facilities and capabilities already had been set up.

The company has aid that it aims to continue making a major contribution towards self-reliance in nuclear equipment production and initiatives taken will be a driving force towards the AatmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan of the Government of India.