"Significantly, this will be the first ever 800 Mw supercritical set based power plant in the state," BHEL said.

According to the statement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, handed over the Letter of Award (LOA) to BHEL Chairman and Managing Director Atul Sobti in Chennai, followed by laying of the foundation stone for the project.

Valued at Rs 2,759 crore, the main plant package contract for the 1x800 Mw North Chennai Supercritical TPS Stage III, has been placed on BHEL by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).

The project is expected be commissioned by August 2019.

Today BHEL has a significant share of 83 per cent in TANGEDCO's cumulative coal-based generating capacity. This also includes two 600-Mw sets commissioned in 2013 at North Chennai TPS, comprising in-house designed steam turbines, the first of their kind for both BHEL and the state of Tamil Nadu.

BHEL's scope of work in the current contract involves design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection, commissioning & civil works for the Main Plant Package.

The key equipment for the contract will be manufactured at BHEL's Trichy, Haridwar, Bhopal, Ranipet, Hyderabad, Jhansi and Bangalore plants with the company's Power Sector - Southern Region to be responsible for civil works and erection/commissioning of the equipment.

North Chennai Supercritical TPS Stage III is located in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu and power generated from this plant will help in fostering growth of the state and provide easy access to electricity to the people of Tamil Nadu.