The Congress party has accused the Uttarakhand government of altering tender conditions to award a large thermal power contract to the Adani Group, estimating the deal could cost consumers more than Rs 1.6 lakh crore over its lifetime. According to the party, a planned joint venture between two public sector undertakings for a 1,320 MW project was scrapped in January 2025 and replaced by a fresh tender in February 2025. Congress claims that 84 of the tender’s 86 original conditions were modified to ensure Adani Power became the effective sole eligible bidder, leading the state cabinet to approve a 25-year power purchase agreement at a fixed rate of Rs 5.746 per unit.
Opposition leaders have demanded full disclosure of files and correspondence related to the tender changes and asked the state’s anti-corruption machinery to examine the process, while signaling they will raise the matter in the state assembly. The Uttarakhand government has rejected the allegations, stating that the tendering process was competitive, followed due regulatory process, and aimed to secure reliable and affordable power.