New Delhi: The Bihar government has awarded the 2,400 MW Bhagalpur (Pirpainti) power project to Adani Power Ltd after a competitive bidding process in which the company offered the lowest tariff of Rs 6.075 per kWh, edging out Torrent Power, JSW Energy, and Lalitpur Power.
The bid includes a fixed charge of Rs 4.165 and a fuel charge of Rs 1.91 per unit.
Officials said the tariff was “highly competitive”, with similar bids in Madhya Pradesh quoting higher fixed charges. Torrent Power was the second-lowest bidder at Rs 6.145 per unit, followed by Lalitpur Power (Rs 6.165) and JSW Energy (Rs 6.205).
The project, expected to attract Rs 30,000 crore in investment, aims to meet Bihar’s growing electricity demand, projected to double to over 17,000 MW by
2034–35.
The tender process was conducted transparently through e-bidding, ensuring fair competition, officials said.
However, the project has triggered a political controversy, with the Congress accusing the BJP-led government of favouring the Adani Group. Congress leader K.C. Venugopal alleged that Bihar was being made to purchase power at an inflated price, calling it a “drain of wealth from the poor and middle class.”
Sources rejected the charge, saying the discovered tariff was among the lowest for comparable projects and reflected cost escalations in power generation inputs.
Originally conceived in 2012, the project was revived in 2024 under the Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Policy 2025.
Land acquired earlier remains state-owned and leased to Adani Power on standard terms.
Officials said the project will boost industrial growth and employment in Bihar, a state with one of India’s lowest levels of private investment and heavy dependence on
agriculture.