Govt plans IPO for power transmission utility BSPTCL

Bihar's power transmission company is set for a stock market debut, becoming the first state-owned utility to go public. Plans are underway to appoint merchant bankers for an Initial Public Offering. Funds raised will bolster the state's transmission infrastructure to meet escalating electricity demand, projected to surge significantly by 2030.

Patna: The Bihar State Power Transmission Company Ltd (BSPTCL) is set to become the first state-owned power utility of Bihar to be listed on the stock market, with the state energy dept initiating plans for a public issue. “We have planned to list our transmission company on the stock exchange. For this, we have already issued an expression of interest (EoI) to appoint merchant bankers for the proposed listing,” state’s energy secretary Manoj Kumar Singh told TOI over phone on Sunday. He said the merchant bankers, once selected, will advise the company on the initial public offering (IPO) process, including the eventual size of the issue. According to Singh, the money raised through the IPO will be used to strengthen the state’s transmission infrastructure and prepare the network for rising future electricity demand. An energy department official said the BSPTCL has drawn up a major expansion plan worth around Rs16,200 crore aimed at increasing network capacity, improving intrastate transmission corridors, and managing higher power loads across the state. The investment plan also includes upgrade of substations and high-voltage transmission lines, he said. Asked about the size of the proposed IPO, Singh said no final decision has been taken yet, as that will be determined after the appointment of merchant bankers. Their assessment will shape the structure and scale of the IPO. The BSPTCL posted strong financial performance in the last fiscal, reporting a total income of Rs1,968 crore and a profit after tax of Rs286 crore. Singh said the proposed listing is a natural next step for a company that has remained consistently profitable for more than a decade. He added that the govt wants the public to participate in the company’s growth story. A Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd (BSPHCL) official said the state’s peak power demand reached around 8,800 MW last year and is expected to rise to nearly 9,500 MW in the current year. By 2030, peak demand is projected to cross 13,000 MW, driven by the expansion of commercial and industrial activity. The planned listing comes at a time when Bihar is preparing for a sharp rise in electricity consumption and is looking to expand and modernise its transmission network to ensure reliable supply. The IPO is expected to play a key role in funding that long-term infrastructure push.

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