Power ministry to open bid process for 14 transmission projects

Mumbai: The power ministry will kick-start the process of tariff-based competitive bidding for 14 transmission projects, involving a total investment of about Rs20, 000 crore, for attracting more private players into the sector.

The 14 projects are planned to be commissioned after 2010 and early years of 12th plan.

Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation, which are the nodal agencies for these projects, will meet prospective bidders to discuss issues related to the bidding process.

The power ministry would finalise the various criteria for participating in the process based on the feedback from the two nodal agencies.

PFC and REC, which have invited Expressions of Interest for four projects, are likely to issue Request for Qualifications by early February.

PFC has invited EoIs for transmission systems associated with Maithon (1000 MW), Kodarma (1000 MW) and Bokaro (500 MW) projects while REC has invited EoIs for a project to bring power from the east and northeast to northern region and another for evacuating power from North Karanpura (1980 MW) project.

The two nodal agencies would prepare detailed project reports in next three to four months and the projects would be awarded between September-December 2007, the official said.

The initiative follows the successful completion of the bidding for two 4000 MW ultra mega generation projects, which were awarded to Lanco Infratech and Tata Power in December last year.