NTPC-NPCIL JV Likely To Invite Bids For Mahi Banswara Nuclear Plant In Rajasthan This Fiscal

State-owned power giant NTPC and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) through their joint venture, Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Limited (ASHVINI), is set to initiate the bidding process for the construction of the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan nuclear plant within this fiscal year.

"The proposal is in line with the government's aim to speed up nuclear power generation and has been sent to the Atomic Energy Commission," writes Economic Times.

In May 2023, NTPC and NPCIL solidified their partnership through a supplementary joint venture agreement, resulting in the restructuring of ASHVINI with equal (50:50) shareholding between the two entities, a shift from the previous 49:51 shareholding ratio.

Under this joint venture, two Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactor (PHWR) projects are slated for development: the 1400 MW Chutka Madhya Pradesh Atomic Power Project (CMPAPP) in Chutka, Madhya Pradesh, and the 2800 MW Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (MBRAPP) in Rawatbhata, Rajasthan.

An NTPC official, speaking anonymously, mentioned that these projects have been earmarked for transfer from the Nuclear Power Corporation of India to Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam.

The transfer process is underway with the Department of Atomic Energy and is anticipated to be finalised within this year, enabling the joint venture to proceed with project execution thereafter.

A discussion regarding the asset transfer and the stakes of the joint venture between the companies is expected to take place within 1-2 weeks, according to another source.

The Mahi Banswara Rajasthan power project is projected to carry a price tag of approximately Rs 44,800 crore, while the Chutka project is anticipated to require an investment of around Rs 22,400 crore.

While these ventures will mark NTPC's entry into the realm of nuclear power generation, it will also contribute to the government's ambitious target of achieving a nuclear power capacity of 22,800 MW by 2031-32, a substantial increase from the current capacity of 7,480 MW.