The government has received a better-than-expected 10 bids for the Sasan ultra mega power project in Madhya Pradesh and six bids for the Mundra ultra mega power project in Gujarat.The two ultra mega projects of 4,000 mw each are the first of a few such projects planned to plug the huge gap between demand and supply of power.The bidders for the Sasan project, based on pithead coal, are : L&T, Reliance Energy, Lanco (with overseas partner Globeleg), Essar Power, Tata Power, Jaiprakash Associates, Sterlite Industries, NTPC, Torrent Power and Jindal Steel & Power. The bidders for the Mundra power project, based on imported coal, are: L&T, Reliance Energy, Essar Power, Tata Power, Sterlite Industries and Adani Exports.There were a dozen-odd short-listed bidders for both the projects, and foreign majors like AES India, China's CLP Power and Sumitomo have chosen not to bid.Given the scepticism that surround these large projects, which involve an investment of about Rs 20,000 crore each, the response is being seen as good in the government and industry circles ."This is an overwhelming response," Shyam Wadhera, director of Power Finance Corporation, who heads the SPVs floated for these projects, said.The next step would be the opening of financial bids, which is likely on December 11 after which the projects would be awarded to the successful bidder by December 31.
