Adani Power and Sterlite Grid submitted bids for the final round of bidding for all three tranmission projects worth over Rs 3,600 crore. State-run Power Grid Corporation (PGCIL), a technically qualified bidder for all the projects, for the first time failed to put in a final bid for a project under competitive bidding as it decided not to participate in R823 crore Chhattisgarh A project.
Chhattisgarh A is considered to be among the most challenging project in the region due to huge power generation capacity that has transformed the area into a complex network of transmission. As per industry estimates, the developer would have to cross 70 transmission lines in the region. As a result of PGCIL backing out of the project, only Adani Power and Sterlite Grid remain in the contention. This is contrast to other two projects, the financial bids for which were submitted on Tuesday, that would see competition among at least five developers, including PGCIL.
Apart from PGCIL, the notable exclusion was that of L&T that had qualified for all three projects but chose not to participate in the final round. Similarly, European infra major Isolux decided against participating in the final round for Sipat and Chhattisgarh (B) projects.
The submission of the bids for the last and smallest transmission project in the current tranche of four projects is scheduled to take place on Friday this week. The six qualified bidders for the project include PGCIL, Essel, Sterlite Grid, Kalpataru Power, CLP and Consortium of Tata & Tata Realty.