The Maharashtra government is considering setting up a private company for distributing power to Navi Mumbai (New Bombay) and Raigad district, both recognised as growth centres.
This may pave the way for the state's first private distribution company since reforms began in the power sector.
The Maharashtra government is expected to hold 30 per cent stake in the company and is scouting for a corporate partner.
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The government has sent out feelers to BSES and the Tata Electric Companies. Reliance Industries had lobbied hard for power distribution rights for the region and, according to sources, could still be in the race.
The Navi Mumbai-Raigad region, with a sizeable client base and the right mix of industrial-commercial-domestic users, is poised to attract nearly a fifth of the Rs 150,000 crore investment expected in the state .
The Maharashtra State Electricity Board cannot cater to the growing needs of the region and hence is considering a joint venture distribution company.
The board is preparing a detailed demand-supply projection, which will form the basis for the equity structure of the company.