RECTPL defers bids for 2 transmission projects worth Rs 8k cr

REC Transmission Projects (RECTPL) has postponed the opening of financial bids for two transmission projects worth around Rs 8,100 crore, which may delay implementation of these power links.
"RECTPL has postponed the opening of the financial bids for Vemagiri II and Alipurduar power transmission projects without assigning any reason. The bids were to be opened today," an executive of the company participating in the bids said.
The Vemagiri II project will strengthen transmission system beyond Vemagiri and will be called Vemagiri II Transmission Ltd. It will traverse through Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Similarly, the Alipurduar project will strengthen transmission system in India for transfer of power from new hydro-electric projects in Bhutan. It will traverse through Bihar and West Bengal.

The financial bids for these two projects were to be submitted by October 9.
RECTPL is conducting the auction these two transmission projects. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of state-run Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd.

PowerGrid, Sterlite, Essel and Adani had submitted the bids for these two projects. Besides, Kalpataru Power Transmission has also bid for the Alipurduar project.
The government has planned to put transmission projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore on the block for auction during the current fiscal.
Various government panels and authorities have been backing the move to rope in private developers.
Power sector regulator CERC has stated that tariffs discovered through competitive bidding are 30-45 per cent lower than the cost-plus route.