The Hindu Business Line : More global power cos turning to India

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New Delhi Feb. 25 Nearly a decade since the fast track power projects announced in the mid-nineties, the country's power sector is again rousing interest among global power companies. Over a dozen new international players are scouting for opportunities in the generation, transmission and equipment manufacturing space here.

New entrants eyeing power generation include two Malaysian firms Ranhill Berhad and Tronoh Alco, Israel Electric Corporation, Korea Electric Power Company and US firm Khanjee Holding Inc.

Transmission Projects

A host of Spanish and Italian firms have thrown their hat in the ring for new transmission projects on offer in the country through the competitive bidding route. These include Spanish firms Control Y Montajes Industriales, Isolux Corsan, Elecnor and Instalaciones Inabensa.

Italian firm Terna SpA, which is in charge of electricity transmission and dispatching over the high-voltage and extra-high voltage grid throughout Italy, is also in the hunt for bagging transmission projects in India.

According to industry players, Ranhill Berhad, a Malaysian power and engineering group, is evaluating building a 600 MW generation plant in India. The company is on the lookout for partners to build the Rs 2,500-crore power plant and Ranhill executives had visited India recently, they said.

The renewed interest among international companies in generation projects, sparked off mainly by the Centre's ultra mega projects scheme, saw a number of new foreign players entering the Indian market.

Global players who had shown interest in the first couple of ultra mega projects include Israel Electric Corporation, Korea Electric Power Company, Malaysia's Tronoh Alco Combine, UK's Duncan Macneil and Virginia-based Khanjee Holding Inc.

Power Ministry officials said they were confident that a majority of these foreign players would bid for the next set of ultra mega projects coming up.

Of these, Israel Electric Corporation is the main supplier of power in Israel, which builds, maintains and operates power generation stations, as well as the transmission and distribution networks in that country. The company, almost entirely owned by the Israeli Government, has tied up with DS Constructions and the consortium plans to bid for at least six ultra mega power projects.

Equipment Manufacturing

International firms led by the Spanish brigade that have entered the Indian transmission sector are mainly eyeing the new competitive bidding-based projects on offer here, starting with the Western Region Strengthening Scheme (WRSS) project and the 14 new projects, announced by the Centre. Spanish engineering and construction firm Isolux Corsan is on course for bagging a grid link that was part of the WRSS grid-strengthening project. "Our commitment to India is strategic in nature in the medium and long term," an Isolux Corsan representative said.

A host of Chinese, South Korean and Russian equipment manufacturing firms, led by Dongfang Electric Corporation of China, Doosan of South Korea and Russia's Power Machines are also significantly ramping up their presence in the country in view of the opportunities arising from new greenfield power projects.

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