Staff Reporter

Chubu Electric Power will construct a 16 kilometer long, 18 meter high tsunami defence wall around its Hamaoka nuclear plant in Tokyo at an estimated cost of around JPY100 billion or $1.3 billion.

Commissioning of Teesta III hydro electric project (HEP) unit-I is likely to slip to the next fiscal, 2012-13 according to the latest report of the Ministry of Power on associated transmission system (ATS) availability. ATS for the 200 MW unit-I includes a 456 circuit kilometers (CKM) long 400 kV D/C (Q) Teesta-III - Karandighi transmission line, for which stringing is yet to start. As of now only 40 towers have been erected out of a total 621 locations. Pace of works on all major fronts needs to be expedited including forest clearances in Sikkim and Bengal. Further, a contingency arrangement plan is in place. It includes 67.4 CKM long LILO of one circuit of Teesta V-Siliguri transmission line at Teesta III and 6.2 CKM long energy restoration system (ERS) with 24 towers. Notably, the stringing and tower erection for the above transmission line has not started, thus far. To accelerate pace, increase in resources needs to be expedited along with a supply of complete towers. Pertinently, works of balance on tower protos, testing and supply are behind schedule and timely procurement of the ERS system is crucial. The Teesta-III HEP, project under joint venture of Teesta Urja Limited and Government of Sikkim, envisages the construction of a 32.5 m high barrage across the Teesta river and a 125 m x 22 m x 56 m surface power house, with four Kaplan turbine generator units, of 33 MW capacity each. The project would afford an annual energy generation of 594.07 million units (MU), assuming 90% performance.  

South Korea announced an electricity price hike of an average 4.9% starting August in a bid to reflect growing power production costs into the electricity charges.

Hydropower plants in Himachal Pradesh were shut down due to the high silt level in Sutlej river, sparking a power crisis in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.

Coal India Ltd is seeking the government's approval to acquire 30 % stake in a coal asset in Indonesia, Chairman and Managing Director N C Jha said.

The China’s largest oil/gas producer has selected Honeywell’s ‘OneWireless’ solutions in providing one single wireless network to support pressure data collection for the oil pipeline, valve position status of root valve of the tank and mobile station as the product proves successful in various aspects.

Yingli Green Energy’s multicrystalline PV module ranked second among thirteen tested by TÜV Rheinland’s 2010 Energy Yield Test.

China's increased investment in its power grid is expected to have a positive impact on the subsidiaries of South Korea's LS Group.,

Kyocera’s latest solar innovation, the Eco-Shell, is being launched in Japan.

India's brokerages prefer equipment made by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, saying its offerings have an “edge” over rivals from China.

Turbine Unit No. 2 of the Dong Nai Hydropower Plant 3 with a capacity of 90MW has officially linked up with Vietnam's national grid.

South Korea can now export atomic power plants to India after an agreement was reached by the two countries.

Pakistan has reportedly decided not to take up an Indian offer to supply electricity because of strategic reasons.

A consortium led by Fotowatio Renewable Ventures won a bid to develop a 150 MW solar plant in Australia.

But exactly where are the investments going in Asia? 

NTPC's 800 MW Kol Dam hydro electric project is now expected to be commissioned by March 2013,