State-owned power company NTPC Ltd has initiated a new vendor enlistment drive for its power plants in an effort to expand the vendor base.
The idea is aimed at streamlining the vendor selection process and also source products from across the country. So far, only local vendors were supplying for respective power plants.
The vendor selection covers about ₹2,000 crore worth of spares and about ₹1,600 crore worth of services for power plants.
Enlisted agencies will get tender notices from all NTPC plants, opening up more business opportunities for vendors, said R Venkateswaran, Regional Executive Director, South, NTPC.
Earlier, vendors and contractors used to participate in tenders of nearby power stations mainly because they have to travel long distances to participate in tenders of other plants, he told reporters.
With this online procurement policy, a vendor can supply for any plant in the country accessing www.vendor.ntpc.co.in, he added.
Awaiting EIA
Referring to two major ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) proposed at Pudimadaka near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Ramagundam in Telangana, Venkateswaran said the company is waiting for the environment impact assessment reports.
NTPC will commence works on both plants after securing necessary approvals and land allocation, he added.
The southern region has an installed capacity of 6,485 MW, including 2,600 MW in Ramagundam, 2,000 MW in Simhadri, 370 MW in Kayamkulam, 1,500 MW in Vallur and 15-MW solar units.
Both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have written to the Power Ministry that 85 per cent of the power generated from these large plants should be allocated to the respective States.
The Pudimadaka UMPP project would be based on imported coal, while the Ramagundam project (both with 4,000 MW capacity each) would be backed by domestic coal supplies, including from Singareni Collieries. The first unit of the 3x800 MW Kudgi project coming up in Karnataka would be ready by 2016, Venkateswaran said.
Solar project
NTPC has installed a 10-MW solar photovoltaic unit near Ramagundam and another 5-MW unit in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
It has signed up with the Andhra Pradesh Government for setting up of a 1,000-MW solar park in Anantapur district.
Tenders for the phase one of 250 MW would be finalised soon, Venkateswaran added.