BHEL may be awarded 1,320 MW Bangladesh project by Feb end

State-run power equipment maker BHEL has emerged as the lowest bidder for the 1,320 MW thermal power project worth USD 1.6 billion in Bangladesh and may be awarded the same by the end of this month.
The tender for the project was floated by Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Private Ltd (BIFPCL), a 50:50 joint venture between NTPC and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
"BHEL has emerged as the lowest bidder for the USD 1.6 billion thermal power project of 1,320 MW at Khulna in district Bagerhat of Bangladesh," a source said.
The BIFPCL is likely to give letter of award to BHEL by the end of this month.

BHEL has outbid Larsen and Toubro and two Chinese companies to emerge as the lowest bidder for the project called 'Maitree'(friendship).
The joint venture company was incorporated on October 31, 2012.

Initially, the JV wanted to allow companies with 500 MW operational unit overseas to bid for the project.
In that case, BHEL would have been disqualified as it does not have an operating 500 MW unit overseas. However, the condition was removed later.
After securing and implementing this project, no such condition would be an impediment for BHEL to bid for such projects abroad.
The proposed project is a coal-based thermal power plant with rated capacity of 1,320 MW (2x 660MW).