Bengal invites bids for 4,700 cr Bandu pumped storage power project

The West Bengal government has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a public-private partnership (PPP) to develop and manage the 900 MW Bandu Pumped Storage Project. The administration has high hopes for choosing a bidder in the upcoming months. The project's estimated cost is Rs. 4,700 crore, and it is situated in the Ajodhya Hill Area of the Purulia district. The project will be built using the design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) method, with a 40-year project life.

There had been some delay in the tendering process' completion, but the administration is now optimistic that it would be finished soon. The deadline for submitting bids is August 28; the opening date for proposals is August 31. The government has stated that the winner will be chosen based on the highest royalty per kWh of produced electricity.

JSW Group, owned by Sajjan Jindal, has previously expressed interest in a pumped storage power plant. The company is widely thought to be a possible bidder for the Bandu project and has a power portfolio through JSW Energy.

A 900 MW pumped storage power project is now being run by the state government in Purulia under the supervision of West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. The West Bengal government's second major effort to increase the state's production of renewable energy will be the Bandu Pumped Storage Project.

An example of pumped storage power is when water is pumped uphill to store electricity during times of low demand and then released downhill to generate electricity during times of high demand. They are a versatile source of electricity that can be utilised to balance the system and satisfy peak demand. Additionally, they are a reasonably affordable source of renewable energy.