India eyes 4 more ultra mega power plants in 2008/09

ROME, Nov 13 (Reuters) India plans to finalise four more of its so-called ''ultra mega power projects'', each capable of generating 4,000 megawatts, during the financial year to March 2009, its power minister said today.

India has already alloted two such projects to private bidders so far this year. The winner of the third project is expected to be announced later this month and Sushil Kumar Shinde said a total of four projects would be finalised before the end of the current financial year.

These coal-based ultra mega power projects, allotted by competitive bidding, are aimed at boosting energy availability in a country where per capita availability of electricity is around 631 units, about one-fourth of the world average.

''We plan to increase the per capita availability to 1,000 units by year 2012 by harnessing various sources of energy,'' Shinde said in his address to the World Energy Congress in Rome.

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