Bhubaneswar: After winning a 25-year licence for distribution and retail supply of power in five circles of Central Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha (CESU)in last December, Tata Power Ltd has won bids for two more electricity distribution companies (discoms) in Odisha- the Western Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha Ltd (WESCO) and the Southern Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha Ltd (SOUTCO).
Odisha Electricity Regulatory Authority (OERC) had invited bids for privatization of the two discoms.
A consortium of India Power Corporation and French Government-owned power utility Electricite de France (EDF) were the only other bidders for WESCO and SOUTCO, respectively. However, their bids weren’t technically qualified, resulting in only Tata Power’s bids being opened yesterday.
However, no official announcement has been made by Tata Power and OERC in this regard yet.
“Though the financial bid has been opened, a letter of award (LoA) is yet to be issued by the OERC,” said official sources.
Consulting firms PwC and Delloite were roped in for management of the auction process.
While WESCO is entitled to supply electricity in Rourkela, Burla, Bargarh, Balangir, Bhawanipatna, etc areas, SOUTHCO provided electricty to consumers in Berhampur, Aska, Bhanjanagar, Jeypore and Rayagada areas.
After bagging the three discoms in the state, Tata Power is also now the only bidder for North Eastern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha Ltd (NESCO), which supplies electricity to the districts of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jajpur and Bhadrak.
It is pertinent to mention here that after Chandigarh, Odisha has begun the process of privatization of discoms to bring reformation in power sector.