BHEL to set up plant in Indonesia

BHEL is mulling to set up an assembling facility in Indonesia. The company is in the advanced stage of negotiations with the Indonesia.

Government and has proposed setting up an assembly facility with knocked down materials supplied from India. However, the proportions of investment and location details have not been finalised.

Meanwhile, global companies like Sumitomo of Japan, Vallourec & Mannesman of France and Wyman Gordon of the US have expressed interest to form JVs for making boiler tubes in India. Also, BHEL has been asked to acquire a participatory interest in the range of 26 per cent in the import substitution projects.

Tata's SA unit to be ready by April

Tata Motors' assembly unit in South Africa is likely to be completed by April 2011.

The initial capacity of the facility is expected to be about 3,000-4,000 units of medium and small-sized trucks. The company presently exports around 3,000 trucks to South Africa annually.

Presently, Tata has truck assembly units in Thailand and Bangladesh

R-Power plans investment in Indonesia

Reliance Power (R-Power) proposes to invest $5 billion (around `22,000 crore) in two projects, one each in South Sumatra and Jambi provinces of Indonesia. The project in South Sumatra will involve development of a two billion tonne coal mine, a 200-km railway line, a port and a 2,000-MW power project at a cost of $3.5 billion (approx `15,925 crore). The project in Jambi consists of another coal mining unit, along with a port, railway line and a small power plant. It will cost $1.5 billion (approx `6,825 crore) without the power project

Reliance Coal Resources, a subsidiary of R-Power, will sign two MoUs with representatives of the governments of both the provinces in New Delhi on 25 January 2011.

ICVL to bid for coal block in Mongolia

International Coal Ventures (ICVL) is planning to bid for developing coal blocks in Tavan Tolgoi mining deposit in Mongolia.

The mine has an estimated coking and thermal coal reserves of 6.4 billion tonne. About 70 per cent of the block is likely to be coking coal. ICVL is expected to bid for a share in the mine's western block with reserves of one billion tonne. Bidders from Japan and South Korea are also keen in developing the Tavan Tolgoi deposit.

Jindal Poly Films secures coal block in Mozambique

Jindal Resources (Mozambique), a subsidiary of Jindal Poly Films, on 7 January 2010, acquired a coal block in Mozambique.

The company has been allotted block-2 situated in Moatize district, Tete Province. The licence covers an area of 1,480 ha. The said block contains about 150 million tonne of coking/thermal coal resources. Jindal Metal and Mining, another subsidiary of Jindal Poly Films has signed an agreement with a Mozambique based entrepreneur for prospecting, exploration and mining of coal block with estimated 300 million tonne of resources.

RIL, Atlas Energy to explore new shores

Reliance Industries (RIL) along with US based Atlas Energy is looking at options for expanding their shale gas JV to new places including Canada and Australia. The company is likely to explore other shale gas areas in Europe, Asia, within the US or in Canada and Australia.

However, it is likely to look at new opportunities once the existing project stabilises. In April 2010, RIL had announced its Marcellus Shale JV with Atlas Energy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. RIL had acquired 40 per cent interest in Atlas' core Marcellus Shale acreage.

NTPC solar power plants in Maldives

NTPC is keen to set up solar power projects in Maldives.

Currently, the company is conducting the feasibility study to explore the potential of Maldives for setting up solar power projects. The final report is expected by April 2011. However, NTPC did not disclose the investment details of the project.

Meanwhile, NTPC plans to add 105 MW of electricity by setting up four to five solar power projects in India by 2013. These solar power plants are to come up at its existing plants at Anta (Rajasthan), Dadri (Uttar Pradesh), Ramagundam (Andhra Pradesh), Sipat and Korba (Chhattisgarh).

Tata, Riversdale to own Benga power plant

Tata Steel and JV partner Riversdale Mining have reached an agreement allowing them to acquire Benga power plant project in Mozambique.

The JV has acquired 50 per cent option in the facility from Elgas SARL for an undisclosed sum.

The $1 billion (approx `4,500 crore) coal based power plant is expected to produce 500-600 MW in its Phase I. While Riversdale is to hold 65 per cent interest in the plant, Tata will have the remaining 35 percent. The power plant will source the coal from the Benga Coal Project which is currently under development.

Adani Group to set up rail, port project in Indonesia

The Adani Group on 25 January 2011 signed an MoU with the regional government of Sumatra Selatan, Indonesia, and PT Bukit Asam Tbk to develop rail and port project in the country.

The project will involve construction of a 250-km of railway-line and port infrastructure needed for transportation and ship loading of up to 60 million tpa of coal.

It is estimated to entail an investment of $1.65 billion (approx `7,425 crore). The rail line will help connect Tanjung Enim, the coal mining area to Tanjung Carat, where Adani is setting up a port for evacuating the coal. PT Bukit Asam Tbk, will sell 60 per cent of the its coal from Tanjung Enim area to Adani at a government notified price and balance coal will be used as contract carriage for Bukit Asam.

The projects will be executed by PT Adani Global, a part of Adani Enterprises.

GVK to develop airports in Bali, Java

GVK Power and Infrastructure (GVKPIL), on 25 January 2011 signed two agreements with the Government of Indonesia to develop greenfield international airports in North Bali and Yogyakarta, Java.

The agreement for the Bali airport is a three-way agreement between Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM - a board set up by the Government of Indonesia for the facilitation of domestic and foreign investment), PT Pembangunan Bali Mandiri (a SPV for airport development) and GVKPIL.

The agreement for the Java airport is an agreement between Angkasa Pura I (Indonesia Governmentowned airport operations and management company), BKPM and GVKPIL. The scope of work includes planning, design and development, operations and management of the airports along with all associated infrastructure, land and commercial development.