Tata Power, Lanco Infratech bag ultra mega power projects

Monday, 18 December 2006, 18:30 IST
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New Delhi: Tata Power Company and Hyderabad-based Lanco Infratech have bagged two ultra mega power projects of 4,000 MW each for which the bids were finalized by the state-run Power Finance Corporation (PFC). A total 17 companies had submitted bids for participation in the two power projects. PFC is the nodal agency for awarding contracts and getting the ultra mega power projects off the ground by setting up individual new companies to get all requisite clearance and land acquisition to ensure a speedy start to the project. While Tata Power Company emerged as the lowest bidder for the Mundra ultra mega power project in Gujarat with a tariff of Rs 2.26 per unit, it lost out to Lanco Infratech for the Sasan ultra mega power project in Madhya Pradesh. The latter offered a tariff of 1.19 per unit, official sources said. The power ministry had set a benchmark of Rs 1.6 per unit for the coal-based power project. The two projects are the first of its kind being planned in the country as part of efforts to create 66,000 MW of new generation capacity by 2012 and raise the total capacity in the country to over 200,000 MW. Plans to set up more ultra mega power projects are facing various hitches, particularly land acquisition issues. Unlike Tata Power, which will be using imported coal as fuel for power generation, Lanco Infratech in association with Singapore-based Globleq will be setting up a coal-pithead power plant, leading to lower cost of power generation.
Source: IANS