BHEL Steps Up R&D Spend To Rs 238Cr

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad-based Corporate R&D of the engineering and power major BHEL has raised its research & development spend to Rs 238 crore during fiscal 2006-07, up from Rs 152 crore last year. At the current level, the R&D spend is about 1.3 per cent of the overall turnover of the BHEL. By 2012, it is estimated that the R&D expenditure will cross the Rs 1,000-crore mark, with the projected turnover of the entire BHEL put at $10 billion. The turnover from the in-house developed products/services also reported a 165 per cent growth at Rs 2,510 crore compared to last fiscal''s Rs 1,064 crore. Technology collaboration with Siemens and Alstom for turbine and boilers provides BHEL expertise to indigenously fabricate these key equipment for 500 MW power plants as well as the super critical power plants envisaged by the Union Power Ministry. During the year, the Centre of Excellence for Surface Engineering with an investment of Rs 8.40 crore was fully functional. A Centre of Excellence on GIS (Gas Insulated Substations) was in the offing.