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Our Bureau

New Delhi, Jan. 16

The Centre plans to offer 15 coal blocks to developers who will build power stations under a new scheme for merchant power plants, the Power Minister, Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde, said on Tuesday. "About 10,000-12,000 MW capacity can be developed by merchant power plants," Mr Shinde told newspersons at a conference here on development of merchant power plants.

Merchant plants are allowed to sell electricity directly to large users, without getting into long-term power purchase agreements. The Centre will allow plants of up to 1,000 MW installed capacity under the Merchant Power Plant scheme, said Mr Shinde. The Power Secretary, Mr R.V. Shahi, said while allotting coal blocks, the Government will give 60 per cent consideration to the financial strength of a company planning, while the rest of the weightage will be given to factors, including timely completion.

To ensure the project is not delayed, the Centre will insist on a bank guarantee from the developers, he said. The identified blocks are at Rajmahal, Raniganj, Birbhum, North Karanpura, South Karanpura, Wardha Valley, Mand Raigarh, IB River and Talcher Coal fields, an official release said.

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