PATIALA: : Twelve companies have shown their interest for bidding process for 2640 MW Gidderbaha Thermal Power Project.

Two Companies from Malaysia viz M/s POWERTEK & M/s MALAKOFF  & one from Spain viz M/s UNION FEROSA have also participated in the conference and evinced keen interest in the project. M/s POWERTEK has already set up a 6000MW power plant in Malaysia and M/s MALAKOFF have set up a 5000MW power plant in Malaysia. These companies have been setting up power plants in Saudi Arabia and Egypt too.

Ratra said that the Bidders would be selected through Tariff-based International Competitive Bidding (ICB). The bidding process consists of two stages. First stage containing the qualification (Request for Qualification) requirements of the bidders and the second stage will be Request for Proposal Stage. Sh.Ratra further said that the total cost of project would be Rs.13,000 crores and this initiative of the Punjab  Government assumes greater significance as it aims to encourage huge private investments in the state which will generate employment in the state and make Punjab a power surplus State.

Punjab State Electricity Board has launched an initiative for procurement of 2640 MW of power on long-term basis through competitive bidding under Case-2 of Tariff based bidding Guidelines issued by Ministry of Power to meet the Power requirement of the State. The site of Gidderbaha Thermal Power Project is located at NH-15 (Bathinda-Abohar) in villages Ghagga, Theri and Babania near Gidderbaha town in Muktsar District. Nearest Railway Station Fakarsar is about 5Kms from the site. Land of 2432 acres has been identified & the site has been cleared by CEA. Section IV under Land Notification Act has been issued for its acquisition. Terms of Reference application to Ministry of Environment & Forests has been moved. Site study contract has been finalized. Water allocation is made by Irrigation department. Application for long term coal linkage has been made and Railways have already given clearance for transportation of coal to site.