Centre to shortlist developers for UMPPS

New Delhi: The Centre is likely to commence the process for short-listing the developers for two more ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) this year, the Minister of State for Power, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said here.

“The process (for selection of developer) could start for the two UMPPs in Orissa and Tamil Nadu in 2009,” Mr Ramesh told reporters here on Monday.
The Government had earlier announced that it had selected sites in Orissa (Bedabahal) and Tamil Nadu (Cheyyur) for the execution of these 4,000 MW projects at an estimated investment between Rs 16,000 crore and Rs 18,000 crore.

“The Chhattisgarh Government has not shown any interest for the UMPP,” Mr Ramesh said, adding that “the proposed UMPPs in Maharashtra and Karnataka have been objected to by the environmentalists.”

The Centre has already awarded four such projects to developers through international competitive bidding route. Three UMPPs — one each in Madhya Pradesh (Sasan), Andhra Pradesh (Krishnapatnam) and Jharkhand (Tilaiya) — have been bagged by Reliance Power while the one at Mundra in Gujarat was won by Tata Power.