Alstom hopes to start production after NTPC nod

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Alstom-Bharat Forge, the JV between French equipment maker Alstom and Bharat Forge that has bagged NTPC's mega order for steam turbines, is awaiting the state-owned power company's nod to start production.

"There has been a slowdown in coal-based projects for the reasons you know ... I am expecting the current challenges that have blocked NTPC to make up the decisions, we hope it will finally be overcome and we can start," Patrick Kron, the chairman and CEO of Alstom, told reporters here.

Alstom-Bharat Forge emerged as the lowest bidder in a tender floated by NTPC for sourcing super-critical or energy efficient steam turbines for its upcoming projects.

The NTPC contract for sourcing boilers has been delayed due to legal issues. Alstom invests around 500 million euros as capital expenditure globally.

"We invest half a billion euros every year as capex ... majority of which goes into the emerging markets," Kron said. Alstom, which is currently supplying gas turbines to a power plant in Bangladesh, is also looking at other such projects in the gas and thermal space.

"We are pursuing other projects in Bangladesh as we are already supplying there," Francois Carpentier, vice-president, Thermal and Renewable Power, Alstom said. Alstom has formed the joint venture company with Bharat Forge for manufacturing steam turbines and auxiliary equipment with an annual capacity of 5,000 MW.

It has also entered into an agreement with state-owned BHEL for manufacture, supply and technology transfer for supercritical boilers.

Alstom employs about 4,000 people in its manufacturing facilities across India. The company has power equipment manufacturing units in Shahabad (Karnataka), Vadodara in Gujarat and another upcoming one at Mundra in the state.

Alstom's facility at Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu caters to the manufacturing needs of the transport sector. It is also setting up another such unit at Sricity in the state.

The company also has engineering centres for the power and transport sectors at Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Kolkata (West Bengal) and Bengaluru (Karnataka), respectively.

Areva T&D India changed its legal entity name to Alstom T&D India with effect from January, 31, 2012. Following the global acquisition of the Areva T&D's transmission business by Alstom in June 2010 and the demerger of the distribution business.