LUCKNOW: The `Energy Task Force' headed by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary has cleared the decks for the award of the contract for the 1,000 MW Anpara C Thermal Power Project to the Hyderabad-based Lanco Kundapalli.

The Task Force endorsed the recommendations of the U.P. Thermal Power Generation Corporation here on Monday night.

The ETF also endorsed the proposal for the construction of another 1,000 MW Anpara D thermal project, in the public sector. The State Government would soon approach the Power Finance Corporation for funding the project.

There was a delay of about four months as the bid was opened on June 6 and Lanco was declared the lowest bidder in the fray. But it took the Power Corporation to approve the bid early this month.

The board of the Power Corporation had ratified the report of the `Bid Evaluation Committee' for the Anpara C project on September 7.

The contract would be handed over to Lanco after the State Cabinet approves the proposal of the ETF.

As soon as the proposal is endorsed by the Cabinet, the `Letter of Acceptance' would be issued to the Lanco Kundapalli and this process is likely to be completed within this month, sources here said. The Request For Proposal (RFP) of the project was opened here on June 6, where the bids of Lanco Kundapalli were found to be the lowest. The other bidders comprising Essar Power and Reliance Energy, were considered to be the front runner, for the proximity of Anil Ambani with the present political dispensation of U.P..

As per the time frame decided by the power regulator `U.P. State Electricity Regulatory Commission', the process for the award of contract to the successful bidder--the issue of `Letter of Acceptance', by the U.P.

Thermal Power Generation Corporation to the Lanco should have been completed by June 23.

The Lanco Kundapalli group had outbid Reliance Energy and Essar Group for the 1,000-Mw Anpara C thermal power project and it showcased as the first tariff based competitive bidding project, the power project has already major approvals included the coal linkage in place.

Five power distribution companieswould sign separate Escrow account agreement with the power generator and purchase the entire 1,000 MW generated by the Anpara `C'.- UNI

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