New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- Uttarakhand Principal Secretary Energy Dr R. Meenakshi Sundaram has defended the proposed procurement of 1,320 MW of thermal power, stating that the process follows prescribed rules, competitive bidding requirements and regulatory approvals. The clarification comes after political parties raised questions about the tender's structure, potential consumer costs and the proposed long-term commitment.

According to Sundaram, the procurement is intended to address the state's base-load electricity requirement over 25 years. He said the objective was to secure reliable and adequate power for future consumers rather than provide an advantage to any particular company.

Sundaram said the 2019 Model Bidding Document issued b...