State-run power equipment behemoth, BHEL has taken a hit as orders from domestic sector, especially from the privators, have dried up due to the ongoing economic slowdown, but the company expects to shore up revenue to the tune of `10,000 crore from foreign contracts by 2017.
“We are expecting revenue of Rs 1 lakh crore for the company by 2017 of which 10 per cent or Rs 10,000 crore would come from exports,” BHEL Chairman and Managing Director B P Rao said on Wednesday on the sidelines of the ongoing India Energy Forum.
Rao also added that overseas markets have always been a focus area of BHEL irrespective of the prevailing conditions in India. He also mentioned that overseas markets like Syria and Yemen were undergoing political turbulence.
Africa is a focussed market for BHEL and the power equipment giant was eying a number of projects in that continent. “The company is already executing some projects in the African continent and also looking at South-East Asia and Gulf Countries.”
On the issue of diminishing domestic order-book Rao said “Lately, I have not seen any tenders from private sector. Whatever orders are coming are from Central or State public sector companies. This year there is hardly any bulk deal coming”.
Rao said that during 2008-2010 tenders for more than 30,000-40,000 megawatt were floated every year. However last year saw only orders for just 4,000 MW.
BHEL has order book of nearly 55,000 MW. But commissioning is a problem. Projects are getting stalled particularly the private sector projects. This is because financing is a problem.”