37 submit fresh offers to set up small IPPs

S M Jahangir

The government has received 37 fresh offers from private entrepreneurs for setting up small independent power projects (IPPs).

All the pre-qualified bidders are vying for installing such small power units, having a combined generation capacity of 200 megawatt (MW), to be located in 10 separate areas of the country, official sources said.

The last date for submitting the fresh bids ended on Monday (June 4), an official said, adding that the Power Cell discussed the new proposals Tuesday and decided to complete their evaluation process within the shortest possible time.

 Under the new proposals, six tenders have been submitted for setting up 10-MW power plant at Ullapara in Sirajganj district, two for a 30MW power unit at Jangalia in Comilla, another two for a 30MW unit at Rupjanj in Narayanganj and three tenders for installing a 30MW plant at Maona in Gazipur.

Three entrepreneurs are contesting for installing a 20MW power unit at Barabkunda in Chittagong, three others for a 20MW unit at Feni (Grid sub-station), four for a 20MW plant at Tangail (Grid sub-station), another four for a 20MW unit at Narsingdi, four others for a 10MW unit at Mohipal in Feni and six are vying for setting up a 10MW unit at Habigonj, sources said.

The entrepreneurs have submitted their individual proposals after the state-run Power Cell had invited fresh offers for the small IPPs following a decision of the Council Committee on Government Purchase.

Earlier, the Purchase Committee at its April 21 meeting rejected the revised proposals on implementation of nine IPPs under the private initiative after it found 'flaws' and 'lack of transparency' in the bidding process.

Just five days before the rejection, the purchase committee had returned the proposals on grounds of incomplete information provided in such project offers, sources said.

Besides, the government's highest purchase body also decided to reconstitute the evaluation committee, which was formed to scrutinise the previous bids. 

Following the decision of the Purchase Committee, the Power Cell also brought some major changes in its previous bidding criteria, allowing the 'responsive bidders' to submit proposals for setting up power units in more than one place.

Such changes aimed to make the bidding process more 'competitive' and 'transparent', officials said.

Under the previous provision, the bidders were not allowed to make offers to install such power unit in more than one location.