34 power companies keen to sell plants to NTPC: Goyal

As many as 34 companies have sent proposals to sell their coal-based projects to the country's largest thermal power producer NTPC, which is on an expansion drive, Parliament was informed today.
"NTPC sought Expression of Interest (EOI) from state electricity boards, power generation companies, independent power producers etc for offering their coal-based thermal power projects for possible acquisition," Power Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
The company advertised the same, asking companies to come forward with their stranded projects, which it will evaluate one by one and then take a call.
Against this EOI, 34 proposals have been received, he added.

NTPC is hopeful of finalising these proposals by the end of the calender year.
The company will evaluate the quality of equipment of these projects, the level of clearances they have achieved, coal availability and sourcing the fuel in case of non-availability before buying these thermal power stations.

It is reportedly in talks with private power companies like L&T and Shapoorji Pallonji Group for taking over their stranded plants.
The state-owned generation firm aims to add 14,000 MW capacity by 2017.
Meanwhile, Goyal said that the public sector firms are sourcing power equipment as per their need and their procurement policy on competitive rates from local as well as foreign companies.

An advisory was issued by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) on August 30, 2013. It stated that in the bids to be invited by central or state sector power generating companies for boilers and turbine generator of super critical projects, condition of setting up of phased indigenous manufacturing facilities has to be incorporated.
This advisory is valid up to October 2015, the minister added.