Vedanta invites bids for 2,400 Mw nuclear plant

London-based metals and mining group Vedanta Resources Plc today invited preliminary bids for setting up a 2,400-Mw nuclear power plant in India.

This comes even as the Indian government is working on a policy to allow private sector companies venture into production of nuclear power.

Vedanta, owned by entreprenuer Anil Agarwal, said it had been encouraged by the policy changes proposed by the Indian government. Private sector firms "" Tata Power and Reliance Energy "" and government-owned NTPC have already evinced interest in entering the sector.

NTPC plans to set up a nuclear power plant by 2017 and has appointed consultants to advise it on the foray.

Vedanta, which has operations in India, Australia, and Zambia, with extensive interests in aluminium, copper, zinc, and lead, said it plans to award the contract for the 2,400-Mw nuclear power station on a build, operate and maintain basis.

The group is the largest producer of captive power in India, with existing and gross-generation-under-implementation capacity of over 3000 Mw.

The company has invited expressions of interest from global firms with experience in building and maintaining nuclear power plants of a size similar to the proposed one.

Preparing the ground for private sector participation in nuclear power generation, the Energy Coordination Committee chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already mooted a change in the existing legal and policy framework.

At present, production of atomic energy is reserved for the Centre by the Constitution. Appendix-III of the Industrial Licensing Policy reserves this strategic utility for the public sector.