Hyderabad-Based MEIL Wins Landmark Rs 12,800 Crore Contract To Build Two Nuclear Reactors In Karnataka

Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) has secured a contract worth Rs 12,800 crore to construct two 700 megawatt (MW) nuclear reactors at Kaiga in Karnataka.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) invited tenders for this project on an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) basis in May 2023.

The technical bids, which opened in October 2023, saw participation from Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) alongside MEIL.

"MEIL emerged as the lowest bidder, demonstrating its exceptional technical capabilities and cost-efficiency by submitting the lowest bid of Rs 12,799.92 crore," the company said in a statement.

Located in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, the Kaiga nuclear plant currently has an installed capacity of 880 MW, comprising four units of 220-MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs). The new contract involves the construction of two additional PHWR units, units 5 and 6.

According to MEIL, it is the highest value tender ever rolled out by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.

The project marks a groundbreaking moment with the introduction of the quality cum cost-based selection (QCBS) methodology, which ensured a rigorous evaluation of technical expertise and cost-effectiveness for all proposals, according to the release.

Kaiga units 5 and 6 are the first in a series of 10 indigenous 700 MW PHWRs sanctioned by the Indian government to be built in fleet mode. With the completion of these two units, the total capacity at the Kaiga site will increase to 2,280 MW.