Power Grid, Adani, Essel in fray for Warangal project

To develop India's power transmission capacity, govt is in the process of auctioning projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore

State-run Power Grid, Sterlite, Adani and Essel have submitted their financial bids for the Rs 6,000-crore Warangal transmission project.

Reliance Power Transmission, which had qualified the technical round, did not submit its financial bid.

"Power Grid Corp Ltd (PGCIL), Sterlite, Adani and Essel have submitted the financial bids to participate in the auction for Warangal transmission project. The last data for submission of bids was February 9," a source said.

The bids can be opened anytime next week by Power Finance Corporation's arm PFC Consulting, which is handling the auction process, the source added.

The last data for submitting the bids were extended from January 29 to February 9.

According to the previous schedule, the financial bids for the project were to be opened on February 5. Based on the lowest annual tariff, successful bidder was to be announced after a week on February 12.

The source said: "Now the financial bids are submitted. It is expected that project may be awarded by the month end."

The source also said the cost of project has been revised downwards from Rs 9,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore recently.

To develop the country's power transmission capacity, the government is in the process of auctioning projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore in the current fiscal.

These are auctioned through the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) process. Under this arrangement, the developer quoting the lowest annual tariff is awarded the project.

The Warangal project is one such case and the largest so far this fiscal in terms of value (cost).

The project involves setting up of 765/400 kv sub-stations at Warangal in Andhra Pradesh and includes a series of 765 kv double-circuit lines including Warora (Pool) to Warangal (New), Warangal (New) to Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Kurnool, and Warangal (New) to Chilakaluripeta.

There are two 400-kv double-circuit lines, which will also be part of the project. The main aim is to augment power supply to the southern grid.