MUMBAI, July 28: Tata Electric Companies (TEC), which has taken over Tata Steel's 67.5 MW power plant at Jojobera in Bihar, is planning to add further generating capacity of 240 MW. The company has already commenced the preliminary work for the expansion.The 67.5 MW unit at Jojobera completed trials for performing at its rated capacity and full evacuation in January 1997. The total acquisition cost to TEC (comprising three electric companies namely, Tata Power, Tata Hydro-Electric and Andhra Valley Power) for the unit is estimated at Rs 300 crore.Tisco was to originally transfer the 67.5 MW unit to the Jamshedpur Power Company Ltd (JAPCOL), a joint venture of the Tatas (mainly Tisco) and Mission Energy of the US. The US company, however, pulled out from the venture in April this year following differences with the Tatas on some issues. It was after this that the plan to rope in TEC was finalised.The Tatas had earlier stated that the Tisco unit would be transferred to JAPCOL after receiving appropriate government approvals. JAPCOL was to set up two new units of 120 MW each which would have given a total generation capacity of 307.5 MW by the turn of the century. Now TEC will be implementing the project.However, the proposal of TEC to set up a multifuel unit in Maharashtra has not made much headway. ``The proposal to install a 450 MW multifuel unit continues to be under discussion with the government of Maharashtra,'' TEC said in a note to the shareholders. TEC is replacing its old hydro facilities at Bhivpuri and Khopoli. This will also improve the efficiency of these units. Simultaneously, work is progressing for replacing the old penstocks at Bhivpuri. TEC is also installing a major 220 kv underground transmission system from Dharavi receiving station to Backbay, South Mumbai at an estimated cost of Rs 416 crore.
