Tata Power among four bidders shortlisted for ERES-XXXIX

Tata Power has qualified as one of the four bidders for the Eastern Region Expansion Scheme – XXXIX (ERES-XXXIX), a key interstate transmission system (ISTS) project in Odisha. Bid process coordinator REC Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) shortlisted Tata Power, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), Sterlite Power, and Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) under the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mechanism.

The selected bidders will have their initial price bids opened, followed by an e-reverse auction to determine the final winner. The ISTS project is housed under a special purpose vehicle (SPV) “ERES-XXXIX Power Transmission Ltd,” a subsidiary of RECPDCL. The successful bidder is expected to be selected by October 16, 2024, with the project transfer likely to occur by October 28, 2024.

The scheme, expected to cost nearly Rs 29 billion, involves the construction of a 765/400kV GIS substation at Gopalpur, Odisha, with a completion target of June 30, 2026. The project will link to existing and under-construction substations in the region, contributing to the Eastern Region’s grid expansion plan.

Tata Power has already secured a related ISTS-TBCB scheme, ERES-XXXIV, in Odisha, involving the construction of a 765/400kV GIS substation at Paradeep, connecting to PGCIL’s Angul substation. The same four bidders were in the race for ERES-XXXIV, which was awarded to Tata Power. However, the formal transfer of the project SPV, Paradeep Transmission Ltd, has not yet taken place.

Other ISTS-TBCB schemes currently in the selection stage include projects like Shongtong Power Transmission Ltd, Khavda V-A Power Transmission Ltd, Jamnagar Transmission Ltd, and Navinal Transmission Ltd, with bidders such as PGCIL, AESL, Sterlite Power, and Reliance Industries in the fray