BHEL KEEN TO DESIGN POWER EQUIPMENT WITH TCS

Chaganti Sarita, New Delhi
Financial Chronicle The HinduPublic sector heavy equipment supplier Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) is exploring a tie-up with private software exporter Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to develop new designs for main plant equipment. The two companies are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding for technology sharing in a month’s time.

"Asia's fastest computer has been built by TCS at their research laboratory in Pune. We are talking about how that laboratory can help us in the design of new turbines and new generators, because a lot of it is through dynamics. One of the things we have been looking at is a new tie-up between Bhel and TCS," minister of state for power Jairam Ramesh said.

He said TCS was going to work with all government owned power utilities. It is already working with NTPC and PowerGrid as technology provider. "They (TCS) will start (working) now with Bhel," the minister said. TCS chief executive officer S Ramadorai made a presentation to the minister of state for power last week on how the company could help bring transformation into the power sector.

A Bhel offcial confirmed the development. Bhel chairman and managing director K Ravi Kumar and Ramesh would be meeting TCS top officials at the company's Pune centre on August 31. However, a TCS spokesperson did not offer any comments citing a short notice period.

The move signifies TCS’ interest in the power sector.

The company has already joined the proposed power trading platform of NTPC.

It will own 50 percent stake in the exchange, while three public sector undertakings – NTPC, NHPC and Power Finance Corporation – will collectively hold the rest. In 2003, TCS had signed a memorandum of understanding with Bhel to provide asset management software for power generation plants.

TCS is not the only software company eyeing the power sector. Acute energy shortage and fuel scarcity in the country has necessitated the development of new efficient technology. The power ministry is also trying to rope in Infosys Technologies and research organisation CSTEP for offering latest solutions to the industry for improved functioning. In 2002, the government had constituted a task force for the purpose. Immediately after taking charge in April, Ramesh had asked Infosys co-chairman Nandan Nilekani to update the report. The firm is due to submit the report in mid-September.

"IT has been used employed extensively in transmission, in the regional load dispatch centres. We need faster IT-based solutions in the distribution sector to bring down losses, metering and grid management," Ramesh said.