Power sector giants in race for HP plant

Private sector giants Reliance Energy, Torrent Power, the Jaiprakash Group and L&T are among the companies that have bid for setting up hydro power plants in Himachal Pradesh.

"We have so far received 42 offers for various projects. Reliance, Torrent, Jaypee and L&T are among those that have submitted their offers," member (civil) HPSEB, R L Chauhan said on the sidelines of a conference here.

The bids are in response to the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board's tender in October this year inviting private companies to set up hydro power plants on a build, own, operate and transfer basis. The tender was for 15 projects, with a total capacity of 1,767 Mw.

Of these, 11 projects are small- and medium-sized, ranging from 6.5 Mw to 99 Mw, with a total capacity of 421 Mw. The remaining four projects are the 126 Mw Chamba project and the 260 Mw Kutehar project on river Ravi, and the 480 Mw Jangi Thopan and Thopan Powari projects on river Sutlej.

Another major player in the power sector, Tata Power has so far not bid for any project. The LNJ Bhilwara Group, which is currently implementing the 192 Mw Allain Duhangan project in the Kullu district, has also not submitted any offer so far. The bids could be submitted by January 21 next year, and the state government would allot the projects by the end of March 2006, Chauhan said.

Besides these 15 projects, the HP government is likely to invite tenders for another 28 projects with a total capacity of 4,000 Mw later this month.

The project size would vary from 5 Mw to 715 Mw, he said, adding the state government had given its go ahead earlier this week.

Reliance Energy, L&T and Torrent do not have any project in hand in Himachal Pradesh. However, the Jaypee Group has already executed the 300 Mw Baspa Project and is working on a 1,000 Mw Karcham Wangtoo Project in the state.

Himachal Pradesh has a total potential of about 21,000 Mw in the hydro sector. Of this, projects totalling 6,067 Mw are operational and projects totalling 7,600 Mw have been alloted.

The 28 projects would also be allotted by May-June next year, Chauhan said. With the award of these projects totalling 6,000 Mw, Himachal Pradesh would complete the process of allotment for all its power potential, he added.

The state has categorised the projects under three segments "" below 5 Mw, between 5-100 Mw and above 100 Mw.