The government today hinted that the tenth ultra mega power project (UMPP) will to come up in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of a conference, Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said, ''The Tamil Nadu government has offered land for the project, which we are considering''.

Meanwhile, Power Secretary Anil Razdan said the Krishnapatnam project in Andhra Pradesh would be finalised before the year-end.

Of the nine proposed plants, the government has already allocated Sasan ultra-mega power plant in Madhya Pradesh to Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Energy Ltd and Mundra in Gujarat to the Tatas.

''We are confident that these two UMPPs will be ready in the eleventh five year plan,'' Mr Shinde added.

In its bid to boost power generation and to meet power shortage in the country, the government has sought private participation for setting up nine ultra-mega power projects of 4,000 MW each in the country.

The government plans to add 1,00,000 MW capacity during the eleventh five-year plan period.

Mr Shinde also emphasised the need for open access in power sector to achieve the ambitious target of achieving 78000 MW during the 11th Plan.

''The capacity addition of over 78000 MW is not an ambitious target and can be achieved through various programmes and policies the Ministry has been following,'' Mr Shinde said while addressing the tenth Power Forum here.

The Minister reiterated commitment to electrify every village in the country by 2009 and provide electricity to every household by 2012.

Speaking about the measures being taken to put power generation on fast track, Mr Shinde said the loopholes in the bidding process of ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) have been corrected and problems related to merchant power plants of about 12000 MW have been sorted out.