UP to give Anpara C power unit in private hands,employess angry

Lucknow, May 9(UNI) Despite strong opposition from the employees and engineers, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has finally decided to accept bids from private power generation companies for the mega 1000 MW Anpara C thermal power unit till May 22.

UPPCL is going ahead in inviting tenders for the Rs 10,000 crore project at the time when Uttar Pradesh is going through one of the worst power crises.

A lot of heat was generated over the proposal of Anpara 'C' going in the private hands and the striking employees had even preveted the entry of reprenstatives of the private companies from entering the premises of unit for inspection.

Braving the protests from its employees, UPPCL chairman Ashok Khurana today said all hitches for early setting up of the Anpara C unit have been cleared and bids would be opened later this month.

Reliance Energy Generation Company is considered to be the frontliner in getting this coveted project to be completed by 2011, the highly placed sources told UNI here.

After the bid is open, the slected company for the project would have to give its letter of acceptance by June 6 and would have to sign an agreement with the UPPCL by August 17.

At present, three private power companies-Reliance Energy Generation Ltd, Essar Power Ltd and Lanco Kundapalli Power Pvt Ltd- are in the race for the contract of Anpara C thermal power project.The process of award of the contract is likely to be finalized by end of this month.

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