ADAG eyes strategic tie-up with power equipment majors

Chairman Anil Ambani of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group is in talks with global power equipment manufacturers for a strategic tie-up, report Suman Layak & MC Vaijayanthi.

The Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group is in talks with global power equipment manufacturers for a strategic tie-up, chairman Anil Ambani said on Friday. He indicated that the group had an open mind about the structure of the tie-up.

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With group company Reliance Power planning to add 28,000 mega watt of capacity in the next few years, the group is likely to face a critical need to source power equipment. Over the years, almost all Indian power plant project implementations have been delayed and Indian equipment makers like Bharat Heavy Electricals already have bulging order books.

"We are in talks with global power equipment majors for the equipment – companies who can meet our deadline and requirements," Ambani said.

On whether a new company created for the purpose would be a subsidiary of Reliance Power or Reliance Energy, Ambani said that it would most likely be neither and "will depend on what the overseas partner wants".

Ambani also said that there would be a huge need for construction manpower during the next few years for the company. While the company will need around 5,000 people to run all its planned power plants round the clock, he said it would need a constant workforce of 75,000-100,000 people to undertake all its construction work over the next few years.

"For example, in Sasan we will need 500 people per shift to run the plant but the construction phase will need 35,000 people," Ambani said.

To illustrate the manpower problem further, Ambani said that the hydro-power plant in Arunachal Pradesh that is coming would need a road to be built and the road building process itself will take 18 months.