Biggest global bidding: Transmission projects of Rs. 53,000 crore to be auctioned.

The government will auction eight contracts to set up power transmission projects worth Rs. 53,000 crore in the biggest global bidding round ever since the sector was opened in 2010 and in the next three years.

The bidding will provide an opportunity to private firms like Tata Power, Reliance Infrastructure, Sterlite Energy, Larsen & Toubro, GMR Energy, Lanco Infratech and JSW Energy to bag mega transmission projects connecting several power plants to consumers.

The proposed schemes will benefit the power starved states of south India that face acute power transmission congestion.The transmission contracts include a 2,500-km long high capacity power evacuation link between Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu worth. Rs. 26,820 crore. The transmission system will facilitate inter-state transfer about 6,000-MW of electricity.

An empowered committee on transmission decided to bid these projects though the state-run Power Grid Corporation of India was keen to take them up on nomination basis, a senior government official said.


ET