Tridem to start integrated port and power project

Tridem Port & Power Company Pvt Ltd will soon commence its
integrated port and power project in Nagapattinam, near Chennai.
Tridem was incorporated as an SPV in 2007 with the main objective
of developing the project. ISMT Ltd, Pune, a listed Company,
(integrated specialized seamless steel tube manufacturer ),
has joined hands with the Tridem Group to undertake this giant integrated Project.
The total investment of the project will be Rs10,000 crore.
The initial phase will have an integrated investment
of Rs4,000 crore – Rs2,500 crore for power plant and
Rs1,500 Crore for the port. The investment will be
funded through 30% equity and 70% debt.
The Government of Tamil Nadu gave a letter of facilitation
to the Company in September, 2007 for setting up a Merchant Power
Plant of 2000 MW capacity in Kilapidagai and Karapidagai
North and South Village areas of Nagapattinam District.

The Government also accorded approval for establishing a
captive port at Vettaikaran Iruppu Village in Nagapattinam
District, 3 km east of the above Thermal Power Plant site.
The Government further sanctioned the port limits with a
seafront of 3.2 km for establishing a deep water Port.
This integrated project will occupy a sprawling 3000 acres
wasteland and convert it into economically
vibrant infrastructural industrial base.
According to Company sources, this Coastal Power Plant
will largely depend on imported coal for its fuel.
In order to ensure fuel security for the coal fed
Thermal Power Station, the Company has taken
steps to invest in coal mines in South and Central
Kalimantan provinces in Indonesia, with adequate reserves.
The Power component: The Detailed Project Report
for the Power Project was prepared by the globally
reputed firm Fichtner Consulting Engineers (India) Pvt. Ltd.
relevant studies have been completed. Notice Inviting Tender
(NIT) for Boiler-Turbine-Generator package including it’s
auxiliaries through International Competitive Bid (ICB)
was issued on 4th June 2009. The bids for BTG package
have been received and are being evaluated.
The total Power Plant capacity will have to be
necessarily reached in stages due to the constraints
on equipment delivery by Manufacturers and is
planned to be executed in phases. The first 2
phases will be sub-critical followed by super-
critical technology based units. The Port and the
First unit of the Power Plant will be commissioned
in the last quarter of 2011 and the subsequent
phases will start functioning every six months thereafter.
Power will be sold to discoms and HT users.
The Company has already signed relevant MOUs for
execution of PPAs with Organizations like Power
Trading Corporation Ltd.,and other users.

The port componet: Tridem, engaged the reputed
Oceanography Department of IIT, Madras,
for preparing the Detailed Project Report for the
Port, with optimal designs, which was completed in February, 2009.

The final design was also vetted by the
Internationally Acclaimed Australian Port Consultancy
Firm, SOROS. Under the guidance and supervision of
IIT Madras, all the necessary Seabed Investigations,
Shallow Seismic Surveys, Delineation of HTL, LTL and
CRZ boundaries (by the National Institute of
Oceanography in October, 2008), Mathematical
Model Study for all weather Port, Geotechnical
investigations, Rapid Marine Environmental
Impact Assessment and Environmental
Managerial Plan were completed in 2008.
The all weather deep water Port will initially
have a capacity of 20 million tonnes per annum.
To start with 40,000 DWT Coal vessels will call at
the Port, fully equipped with mechanized coal
systems with coal unloaders and conveyors in the
Port area. The coal handling capacity will be 40,000
tonnes per day. On completion of the second phase,
1,00,000 DWT vessels will call at the Port.
Vendor discussions and contracts are at advanced
levels after negotiations with Dredging and
Breakwater Contractors, Berth Construction Agencies,
Equipment Suppliers and Civil Contractors.
The construction works are scheduled to begin
in September, 2009.
The Company has achieved in-principle financial
closure for Phase I of the project. The Port and
Project sites enjoy excellent road and broad-gauge
railway connectivity. The Company spokesman
further said that “Tridem Port and Power
Company on commissioning will offer
unlimited employment potential to the
locals and is bound to kickstart unparalleled
infrastructural growth activities and will help
unleash the immense potential for small
and big industries in the vicinity”.