Private sector giants Reliance Energy, Torrent Power, Jaiprakash Group and L&T are among the companies that have bid for setting up hydro power plants in Himachal Pradesh.
"We have so far received 42 offers for various projects. Reliance, Torrent, Jaypee and L&T are among those that have submitted their offers," member (civil) HPSEB R L Chauhan told PTI on the sidelines of a conference in New Delhi.
The bids are in response to Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board's tender in October this year inviting private companies to set up hydro power plants on Build, Own, Operate and Transfer basis. The tender was for 15 projects with a total capacity of 1,767 MW.
Of these, 11 projects are small and medium sized ranging from 6.5 MW to 99 MW with a total capacity of 421 MW. The remaining four projects are the 126 MW Chamba project and 260 MW Kutehar project on river Ravi and 480 MW each Jangi Thopan and Thopan Powari project on river Satluj.
Another major player in the power sector, Tata Power has so far not bid for any project. The LNJ Bhilwara group, which is currently implementing the 192 MW Allain Duhangan project in Kullu district, has also not submitted any offer so far.
The bids can be submitted by January 21 next year and the state government would allot the projects by the end of March 2006, Chauhan said.
Besides these 15 projects, the HP government is likely to invite tenders for another 28 projects with a total capacity o 4,000 MW later this month. The project size would vary from 5 MW to 715 MW, he said, adding the state government had given its go ahead earlier this week.