20 firms express interest in taking over Chandigarh Electricity Department

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 3

As many as 20 companies have intended to take over the distribution of streamlined and profit-earning UT Electricity Department.

UT Adviser Manoj Parida said the request for proposal (RFP) had been issued to 20 intended bidders, including Adani Transmission Limited, Tata Power Company Limited, GMR Generation Asset Limited, Sterlite Power, CESC Ltd, Torrent Power, ReNew Power, Greenko Group, LAT Ltd, Feedback Energy Distribution Co Ltd (FEDCO), MB Power Ltd, CLP India Pvt Ltd, EDF India, ENEL Global Infrastructure and Network SRL, Megha Engineering Infrastructure Ltd, India Power Corporation Ltd, DNH Power Distribution Corporation, NTPC Electricity Supply Limited, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Ltd and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL).

February 2 was the last date for the purchase of the tenders that could be submitted by February 8.

On November 9, 2020, the UT Engineering Department had invited bids for the privatisation of the Electricity Department.

On a petition filed by the UT Powermen Union, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had on December 1, 2020, stayed the tendering process.

The Bench was told that the process of privatisation of the wing could not be initiated at all, especially when it was running in profits. However, on January 12, the Supreme Court had stayed the order of the High Court and on January 14, the UT Administration resumed the tendering process for privatisation.