Power Ministry to seek Cabinet nod for UMPPs’ bid documents: Goyal

Looking to auction large-capacity thermal energy plants, the Power Ministry will seek Cabinet’s approval to final bid document for domestic coal-based ultra mega power projects (UMPP) of 4,000 mw capacity each. The ministry plans to auction three UMPPs, entailing an investment of over Rs 80,000 crore, by the end of this fiscal. “The bid document of the UMPPs based on domestic coal has been sent for inter-ministerial consultations. After receiving the comments from all ministries, it would go to Cabinet for approval,” Power Minister Piyush Goyal said. The three ultra mega power projects would be set up in the states of Bihar, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Earlier this month, Power Secretary P K Pujari had said that auction of three UMPPs would be conducted definitely “by March”. The three projects are Banka in Bihar, Bedabahal in Odisha, and Cheyyur in Tamil Nadu. On UMPPs based on imported coal, Goyal said, “The Pratyush Sinha committee has not given its report on the bid document for UMPPs based on imported coal. As soon as they submit it, we will send it to the Cabinet.” The committee has sought public comments on the draft bid document for UMPPs on imported coal to be submitted by January 15, 2016. Earlier, Pujari had also said that the Cheyyur UMPP was based on imported coal but there was a possibility of putting the project on the block.