One new entrant features in the list of four bidders qualified for opening of initial price bids for an ISTS scheme housed under “Rajasthan IV 4B Power Transmission Ltd.”
The new entrant Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon Pvt Ltd (DRAIL) is contending for the project alongside three seasoned players – Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), Sterlite Power and Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL).
According to information available with T&D India, while Ahmedabad-headquartered DRAIL is known to have participated in the bidding process of ISTS-TBCB schemes in the past, this is the first time, at least in recent history, where the company has technically qualified and eligible for opening of initial price bids.
Bid process coordinator REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) is expected to conclude the bidding process and hand over the project SPV to the successful bidder by November 28, 2024, going by current timelines.
DRAIL is a 50-year old company that is primarily involved in construction of roads, highways, buildings, metro rail, railways, aviation infrastructure, etc. If selected, the Rajasthan 4B ISTS-TBCB scheme would mark the company’s entry in the ISTS development space.
The project
The ISTS scheme incorporated under “Rajasthan IV 4B Power Transmission Ltd” is known as “Transmission system for evacuation of power from Rajasthan REZ Phase-IV (Part 4:3.5 GW: Part-B” and is estimated to cost Rs.6,395 crore as per National Committee on Transmission (NCT). With a gestation period of 24 months, this project seeks to build a new 765/400kV, 2×1500 MVA substation (AIS) to be known as “Merta-II substation.” This substation will have connectivity with other substations/pooling stations like Barmer-I, Beawar and Dausa – all in Rajasthan.
Part A
The overall scheme “Transmission system for evacuation of power from Rajasthan REZ Ph-IV (Part 4: 3.5 GW)” has been divided into two components – Part A and Part B.
While four contenders are in the fray for Part B as discussed in this story, three bidders – PGCIL, Sterlite Power and AESL – are contending for Part A, as reported by T&D India on November 8, 2024.
Both Part A and Part B are expected to commission concurrently. Together they will help evacuation of 3.5 GW of power from renewable energy zones in Rajasthan.
Featured photograph is for illustration only
