Slow progress on UMPPs to hit capacity target

New Delhi, Sep 23 (UNI) The expected changes in bidding norms, delays in land acquisition, absence of a uniform rehabilitation policy and environmental concerns have held up the ground work of ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) in the country.

The submission of request for proposal (RFP) for Krishnapatnam has already been delayed by six months.

''The first stage of bidding for imported coal-based Krishnapatnam UMPP in Andhra Pradesh will be completed in a month or two,''Power Secretary Anil Razdan said recently.

The request for qualification (RFQ) for Tilaiya UMPP in Jharkhand has been amended and offers will be reinvited for the project.

Originally, the submission of Krishnapatnam RFP was slated for March 9, which was deferred till April 11 and subsequently to May 25 and thereafter, to August 24.

Tata Power Company (TPC), Reliance Energy (REL), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Essar Power, Sterlite, Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Torrent, AES, DS Construction and Sumitomo are the qualified bidders of the project.

The deadline for Tilaiya RFQ was March 20, which was postponed to April 10.

After the first two UMPPs -- Mundra and Sasan -- were awarded, the ministry has not made much headway in the remaining mega power projects. For the five UMPPs of the total nine, final clearances from respective state governments are still awaited.

UNI