From correspondents in Delhi, India, 09:30 PM IST

Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) have formed a joint venture to set up Tamil Nadu's first super-critical thermal power project on a capital outlay of around Rs.87 billion (Rs.8,700 crore).

The 1,600 MW capacity super-critical project in the state's Tuticorin district will strengthen power availability in Tamil Nadu, which faces acute electricty shortage.

A super-critical plant has a thermal efficiency of 45 percent, as compared a sub-critical plant's efficiency level of between 30 percent and 38 percent.

BHEL has already bagged major orders for power generating equipment with super-critical parameters, from National Thermal Power Corp for the 2x660 MW Barh Thermal Power Project Stage-II in Bihar, and from APGenco for the 2x800 MW Krishnapatnam Power Project in Andhra Pradesh.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)