Punj Lloyd contracted in four-reactor project

Tuesday, 14 June 2011

An engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract worth over $150 million for nuclear piping work at four Indian pressurised heavy water reactors has been won by Punj Lloyd.  

 

Groundbreaking ceremony for Rajasthan units 7 and 8 in August last year (Image: NPCIL)

The scope of the contract covers engineering, procurement, erection and commissioning of nuclear equipment and piping for all the systems inside the reactor buildings of Karkapar 3 and 4 as well as Rajasthan 7 and 8.

Company chairman Atul Punj described the Rs 678 crore ($151.5 million) contract as a "significant win" for the group, opening up new avenues in India's booming nuclear power sector. "This contract will place us in the select league of EPC contractors having nuclear power project execution capabilities, strengthening our position both nationally and internationally," he said.

Punj Lloyd describes itself as a diversified international conglomerate offering energy and infrastructure EPC services as well as engineering and manufacturing capabilities in the defence sector. Another Punj Lloyd group company, PL Engineering, is also working on detailed design and engineering of balance of plant at Rajasthan 7 and 8. One of the group's companies, UK-headquartered process engineering company Simon Carves, can trace its nuclear industry credentials back to the 1950s. 

Kakrapar units 3 and 4 and Rajsathan units 7 and 8 are indigenously designed 700 MWe pressurized heavy-water reactors (PHWRs). Work is already under way at both sites: first concrete was poured for the Kakrapar units in November 2010, while a groundbreaking ceremony for the Rajasthan units was held in August 2010.

Operation of Kakrapar 3 and 4 is slated for 2015 and 2016 respectively, with Rajasthan 7 and 8 both due in 2016. The units are part of India's plans to have 20,000 MWe nuclear capacity on line by 2020 and 63,000 MWe by 2032. The country currently has 20 operating nuclear units providing 4385 MWe of capacity.

 

In April, a consortium of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and Alstom won $360 million-worth of contracts to supply and install turbogenerator packages for Kakrapar 3 and 4, while in May 2010 the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) was awarded a contract for the main plant civil works for the two new Rajasthan units. Larsen & Toubro is supplying steam generators for Kakrapar 3 and 4 and Rajasthan 7 and 8.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News