With their huge international experience in power generation, plant management, transmission and distribution, the Canadian companies consider that they would fit well into the needs of India.

With this confidence, representatives of over a dozen Canadian companies are touring the country from March 19 to 25 looking for clients seeking partnerships, investments and other power solutions to build new relationships and explore emerging business opportunities together. The team was in Chennai on Monday making presentations of their capabilities.

Following this, they will visit Calcutta and Chandigarh. The participants include Acers International, Agra Monenco Inc, First Planet Engineering, Babcock & Wicox Canada Ltd, General Electric Canada International Inc, Hydro Quebec International, Indo Canadian Consultancy Services Ltd (ICCS)/RSW, Intra Coastal System Engineering Corp, Klohn-Crippen Consultants, MMC Ontario Ltd, SNC-Lavalin, System Strategies Inc, UMA Engineering Ltd.

Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (Tidco) R Gopalan and Tamil Nadu Power Finance Corporation Ltd chairman R Satapathy made presentations detailing the unique investment opportunities in Tamil Nadu and its primary position in infrastructure and human resources.

The seminar was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Canadian High Commission.

Some of the Canadian companies like Agra Monenco in the team are already having their presence in India. According to its vice-president Vinay Parekh, the company has participated in various electrical and nuclear power projects in India. It has helped in the power system master plan for Orissa. Apart from this, in Orissa, it has also provided technical and management assistance for the restructuring of the power sector. Agra has carried out the engineering and project management for three phases of the Kundah hydroelectric project in Tamil Nadu. First Planet is keen on teaming up with companies holding licenses and fuel linkages for power plants in the range of 100 mw and above. It is seeking EPC and operation and maintenance contractors especially in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat, says president Subramaniam P Thrivikraman.

ICCS is a consultancy firm set up to carry out engineering activities catering exclusively to consultancy requirements for hydro power projects. This consultancy firm has been floated by Rajasthan Spinning & Weaving Mills Ltd (RSWM).