Karnataka invites bids for 500-MW round-the-clock power.

Karnataka is planning to buy 500 MW RTC (round-the-clock) power from producers to meet demand for the next eight months. The power is being bought on a short-term basis from generators, trading licensees, State utilities, captive power plants (CPPs) and co-generators within the southern region for power supply. "The State has resorted to inviting bids in an effort to conserve hydel power and simultaneously take up repair works on few units of Raichur Thermal Plant," a senior Karnataka energy department official said. He further added, "As for the tariff, we expect to get good rates during the bidding by interested parties as we are going in early in the season. We also have good payment mechanism and record,� he added. The Power Company of Karnataka Limited (PCKL), which has invited bids, is buying power on behalf of Government-owned distribution companies such as Bescom, Mescom, Hescom, Gescom and Cescom. The corporation has fixed the minimum bid capacity at delivery point at 5 MW and the bids are through e-procurement mode.