Bhel to bid for NTPC, Reliance projects

Despite failing to bag the equipment supply contract for National Thermal Power Corporation's "super critical technology" Sipat project, state-owned BHEL said it would bid for NTPC's other project being executed using the same 660 Mw technology and for Reliance's Rs 10,000 crore power project at Dadri.

As part of its bidding strategy for new power projects, the company was also planning to pick equity and extend credit to these projects, Bhel's Chairman and Managing Director HW Bhatnagar said.

The utility would rely on its tie-up with Siemens of Germany when bidding for super-critical thermal projects of 660-1,000 Mw capacity, Bhatnagar said.

On Reliance's proposed 3,300 Mw project in Dadri, he said, "We are interested to bid for it." Reliance Industries Limited has already invited tenders for the supply of gas for the project earlier this month.

Bhatnagar said Bhel and Siemens could not bid for supplying generators to the Sipat plant due to commercial reasons. In the case of turbines, Bhel had unsuccessfully bid with Alstom for the tender.

On Bhel's new ventures, Bhatnagar said the company was planning to foray into the distribution business, with a model project in Bhopal.

He said the transmission and distribution business was worth Rs 50,000 crore and said the company was hopeful of bagging several distribution projects, including two worth Rs 500 crore each.

Bhatnagar also spelt out his company's business strategy for the future, which included strengthening its core competency, looking for business in fields where Bhel had backward and forward linkages and diversification into new areas.

Power bidding

• BHEL will bid for NTPC's Barh project being executed using the 660 Mw technology and for Reliance's Rs 10,000 crore power project at Dadri
• The company is also planning to pick equity and extend credit to these projects
• Bhel's is also planning to foray into the distribution business, with a model project in Bhopal