Reliance Power gets 5 hydel projects in Himachal

[1]

Corporate giants like Reliance Power and Tata Power-SN Power joint venture have been allotted hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh, official sources said here on Friday. However, other companies like Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Essar Power, Moser Baer and GVK Energy did not get any project.

"Reliance Power has got five out of the 18 projects for which global bids were invited by the state," an official of the state told IANS. One project was withheld by the government as there was only one bidder. Reliance Power was allotted the 300 MW Purthi, 94 MW Teling and 44 MW Shangling, all in Lahaul and Spiti district, 130 MW Sumte Kothang and 104 MW Lara Sumta projects in Kinnaur district. Tata Power-SN Power was allotted the 236 MW Dugar project.

The other companies that got hydropower projects in the state are capital consortium, BMD, ABG Shipyard, AMR Mitra Joint Venture, Bell Spun Energy, Green Infrastructure and BLA Industries. The allotted projects would generate power with an aggregate capacity of 1,325.5 MW. However, the 60 MW Patam project in Lahaul and Spiti was withheld and would be advertised again for inviting bids.

Under the state's amended power policy, the bidder who offers more free power to the state in addition to the fixed quota are allotted projects. During the previous Congress government, the projects were allotted on the basis of highest upfront premium. The fixed quota is 13 percent free power for the first 12 years, 19 percent up to 30 years and 31 percent up to 40 years.

After 40 years, the project will be handed over to the government. "Reliance Power has offered 21 percent free power for all the five projects, whereas Tata Power-SN Power offered 22.35 percent," said a senior engineer associated with the project allocation process. The free power bidding is in addition to the fixed upfront premium of Rs.2 million (Rs.20 lakh) per megawatt. Himachal Pradesh has abundant water resources with a power potential of about 23,000 MW. About 6,672 MW have been harnessed till now by the central and state governments, private players and joint venture companies.