Toshiba JSW Turbine & Generator Pvt Ltd said its manufacturing facility for super-critical steam turbines and generators would go on stream in the second half of 2011.
Toshiba JSW is a joint venture between Japanese firm Toshiba Corporation and JSW.
The JV partners are planning to invest Rs 800 crore in the facility, which is coming up in north Chennai. The initial capacity of the facility will be 3,000 Megawatt (Mw) per year and will be completed in three steps — component factory, manufacturing facility and administrative office, said Itaru Ishibashi, managing director, Toshiba JSW Turbine & Generator Pvt Ltd.
He was speaking on the sidelines of a function organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here.
“Installation of machinery is going on and we expect the manufacturing facility to be ready by July or August, this year. At present, we have 100 employees and plan to take the total number to 500 by 2012,” said Ishibashi. Initial localisation would be 20-30 per cent, which will be increased to 50 per cent by 2014 and later to 100 per cent.
The company had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu government in 2009. The state government is strengthening the road infrastructure for the company to transport its goods from the plant to Ennore port, which is 15 km from the facility.
The company has to transport turbines and generators of over 450 tonne through road and many of the bridges are not strong enough to handle them. According to the agreement, the state has to complete strengthening of the bridges by July 2011 to support the logistics.
It has plans to manufacture and market mid-to-large-sized steam turbines and generators ranging from 500 Mw to 1,000 Mw for highly efficient super-critical thermal power plants in India.