Considering the acute crisis of power in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to set up as many as five new power plants, including one ultra mega power project though the private sector. The total power produced from these projects would amount to 9940 mw.
Out of the five projects, the 4000 mw UMPP is slated to be set up in Bargadh, in Chitrakoot district of Bundelkhand, while a 1980 mw project will come up in Farrukhabad district, and three projects of 1320 mw capacity will come up in Chola, in Bulandshahr, Dohrighat, in Mau district and Sandila, in Hardoi district.
Proposing to establish the projects on the basis of competitive bidding, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation has started the process of inviting proposals for the selection of consultants for providing consultancy for all the five projects.
While the bids for consultants for the Farrukhabad project will be opened on October 14, for the rest of the projects the date is October 15.Once completed, these projects will go a long way in meeting the burgeoning requirements of the state.
The state government will not only acquire the land for these projects but will also put in place the other basic infrastructure, including water and coal linkages, before handing over the projects to the private sector.
Bids will be invited from the private sector and whichever company agrees to sell the power at the lowest rate to the state government will bag the project.
This is the second attempt by the state government to establish a UMPP on its own.
Earlier, the state government had tried to set up a 4000 mw power plant in Lalitpur district of Bundelkhand jointly with the NTPC. But after the souring of talks with the NTPC, the Uttar Pradesh government had decided to get the project set up by private hands.
However, due to the shortage of water in the area, the state government had to reduce the capacity of the thermal power plant that was to be set up in Lalitpur, in parched Bundelkhand, from the present 4000 mw to 1980 mw.