Uniper Moves into Indian Power

India Power Corporation and Germany's Uniper have agreed to set up a 50:50 service company joint venture, India Uniper Power Services. It will "offer a broad range of flexible and customised services to customers in the Indian power business," they said September 1.

Services will include plant operations and maintenance, asset monitoring software and analytical tools, flexibilization [sic] of units, life-cycle extension, supply and integration of pollution control equipment and systems, they said.

IPCL chairman Hemant Kanoria said Uniper's experience of owning and managing a portfolio of about 40 GW in various countries will allow India Uniper Power Services to adopt best practices and make thermal power plants more competitive. IPCL's expertise and knowledge of the local market will help the company become a key player in the thermal generation sector and focus on improving the efficiency of power plants in India.

Uniper CEO Klaus Schafer said Europe had already had to deal with "many of the challenges that India can expect to see in the years to come. Renewables-build out will impact the operating regime of conventional power plants with a need for an increased plant flexibility. In addition, a tightened environmental policy will require upgrades and new power plant emission control processes. Uniper has gained substantial experience in all these areas within its own fleet over many decades.”

Klaus Schafer, Uniper CEO

India's power sector is close to 70% dependent on gas or coal in terms of installed capacity and a substantial amount is expected to remain coal-based given its large coal reserves and the low cost. At the same time, renewable energy sources are also expected to see substantial capacity addition. This would require a paradigm shift in the operating processes of thermal generation plants, with greater focus on efficiency and flexibility, their statement said. 

William Powell