The Congress on Monday (September 16, 2024) criticised the Mahayuti government for awarding the Adani Group a contract to supply 6,600 MW of bundled renewable and thermal power to Maharashtra. It questioned whether this ‘favour’ to the conglomerate would lead to a significant tariff burden on the State’s consumers.

The party’s general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh said that despite the Mahayuti government ‘stumbling towards a landslide defeat,’ they are using their final days in power to push a ‘Modani agenda’ by awarding the Adani Group a massive power procurement contract.

Also read: Adani Group says press release in circulation on its Kenya projects is fake

“Even as the Mahayuti Government in Maharashtra totters towards a landslide defeat, they choose to spend their last few days in power pursuing a Modani enterprise, giving the Adani Group a giant power purchasing contract,” he said in a post on X.

The Adani Group recently secured a long-term contract to supply 6,600 MW of bundled renewable and thermal power to Maharashtra after its bid of ₹4.08 per unit outcompeted rivals such as JSW Energy and Torrent Power. The power supply is scheduled to begin 48 months after the issuance of the letter of intent.

“Here are five questions for the non-biological PM on his new joint venture. Is it not true that – The terms and conditions of the tender issued by the Maharashtra Government for bids on 1,600 MW thermal and 5,000 MW solar on 13.03.2024 were modified from the Standard Bidding Guidelines to minimise competition?” the former Union Minister said.

“The tariff for the 1,600 MW coal power is roughly ₹12 crore per MW – at a time when Adani has itself contracted with BHEL for less than seven crore per MW and other providers such as NTPC/DVC/Neveli Lignite Corporations are implementing large thermal projects at ₹8-9 crore per MW?” he said.

Mr. Ramesh asked whether ₹28,000 crore of the project cost will be financed entirely by the agencies controlled by the Ministry of Power of the Maharashtra Government.

“Tariffs for solar power are in the ₹2.5 per unit range but Adani Green will be supplying power at ₹2.7 per unit? These revdis distributed to the Adani Group will but a heavy burden of tariff on the 2.7 crore consumers in the State of Maharashtra?” the Congress leader asked.