77 firms keen on ultra mega projects

The Power Finance Commission has received as many as 77 expressions of interest for the ambitious ultra mega power projects.

Of these, 33 proposals have been submitted for the Sasan power project, while 34 have been received for the Mundra project.

Around 20 companies, Indian and foreign, had visited the project sites. State-owned NTPC will bid for all the five ultra mega power projects.

Tata Power, Reliance energy, NTPC, Adani Exports, the AV Birla group, Essar Power, AES India, China Light and Power, and Korea Electric Power are in the fray for the Mundra coastal project. Neyveli Lignite Corp, L&T, Jaiprakash Associates, GVK Group and Mitsui have submitted their EOIs for the Sasan pithead project.

The government will invite EOIs for three other projects for the Ratnagiri-Konkan area in Maharashtra, Karwar in Karnataka, Akaltara in Chhattisgarh shortly. Each of the projects will have a generation capacity of 4,000 mw and entail an investment of Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion).

The private sector has been invited to put the power generation on a speedy growth path by developing the ultra mega power projects.

The move is a step towards the targeted 650,000 mw of installed capacity by the 14th Plan (2026-27).