India's Cochin Refineries slates gasified-resid cogen plant

Oct. 20, 1997
A number of national and multinational power companies are vying to join Cochin Refineries Ltd. (CRL) in its proposed 500-MW, gasified-resid cogeneration power project. As many as 21 bids have been received by the state oil refiner for the project, to be based on gasifying vacuum resid, which CRL has in surplus, to generate electric power. A choice of technology is pending completion of a feasibility study. Among the bidders are Marubeni Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., Enron Corp., and Indian

A number of national and multinational power companies are vying to join Cochin Refineries Ltd. (CRL) in its proposed 500-MW, gasified-resid cogeneration power project.

As many as 21 bids have been received by the state oil refiner for the project, to be based on gasifying vacuum resid, which CRL has in surplus, to generate electric power. A choice of technology is pending completion of a feasibility study.

Among the bidders are Marubeni Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., Enron Corp., and Indian state-owned firms National Thermal Power Corp. and Bombay Suburban Electric Supply.

K.L.Kumar, CRL chairman and managing director, said the refinery is negotiating with the Kerala State Electricity Board to purchase the entire electric power output of the cogen unit.

Study under way

CRL is working on a detailed feasibility report for the project, which it expects to submit to India's Petroleum Ministry by November 1997 for further action.

Power industry officials have estimated the cost of the project at 20 billion rupees ($560 million).

The final cost of the project would be worked out after the detailed report was completed, Kumar said. Within 3 months, CRL will choose a partner for the project, he added.

While the Cochin refinery will retain a 26% share in the project-likely to have a shorter lead time than a thermal power project of the same size-its joint venture partner also will take a 26% share. The Karnataka State Electricity Board is expected to have an 11% share, and the rest would be shared between the domestic and international financing entities involved in the project.

About the environmental aspects of the use of residual fuel for the project, likely to be set up near the refinery, Kumar said the feasibility report would also incorporate effluent treatment, and the project will be designed to meet standards set by India's national and state pollution control boards.

He added that the refinery already has its own captive power generation facilities, and electric power generated by the new plant would be entirely for commercial use.

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