Congress general secretary in-charge, Jairam Ramesh, took to social media platform X to criticize the move. “Even as the Mahayuti Government in Maharashtra totters towards a landslide defeat, this is what they choose to do with their last few days in power. Yet another Modani enterprise undoubtedly!” he said.
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“Shocking details of this rigged deal will soon start tumbling out,” Ramesh added.
The Adani Group secured the contract after submitting the lowest bid of Rs 4.08 per unit, outperforming competitors such as JSW Energy and Torrent Power.
Additionally, the bid for the bundled renewable and thermal energy supply for 25 years was nearly a rupee lower than Maharashtra’s current electricity procurement cost at Rs 4.97 per kWh for 2024-25 and is expected to help meet the state’s future electricity needs.
According to the bid conditions, Adani Power will supply 1,496 MW of thermal power from a new 1,600 MW ultra-supercritical capacity, while Adani Green Energy Ltd will provide 5 GW of solar power from the Khavda renewable energy park in Gujarat’s Kutch district. Adani Green Energy will supply solar power at a fixed cost of Rs 2.70 per unit throughout the entire supply period, while the cost of coal-based power will be indexed to coal prices.
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) had floated a unique tender in March for sourcing 5,000 MW of solar power and 1,600 MW of coal-based power, just before the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections came into effect. The tender was awarded to Adani before the announcement of the assembly elections in the state.
The tender combined solar power with thermal electricity to meet peak energy demand and during non-solar hours, giving equal energy weightage to both renewable and coal-based electricity.