Tata Power-DDL plans to set up 1000 electric charging stations
Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd today said it is planning to install 1,000 electric vehicle charging stations in next four to five years in Delhi. The company plans to set up these charging stations at various locations in North and North-West Delhi and is already in discussions with Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for space. “We have already put five of them at our grid stations and plan to put 1,000 of them at various locations (in four to five years),” Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (Tata Power-DDL) CEO and MD Praveer Sinha told reporters on the sidelines of a function here today. “So, we are in discussions with MCD, DMRC for space where the two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers can be parked and charged. I think they (vehicle owners) need space where they can park their vehicles and charge it for six to eight hours,” he said. “We carried out the study (for the proposed 1,000 stations) and also got the mapping done,” Sinha said. Refusing to share investment details, Sinha said it was very difficult to give a number as the proposal was at a very niche stage. However, he said that for setting up a fast charging station the cost involved is around one lakh while for a slow charging station an investment of Rs 50,000 is required. “At present for our five stations we charge normal domestic rate,” he said. The company, he said, has also communicated with the government in this regard. “We told them (government) that we will set up charging infrastructure…They (government) need not worry about charging infrastructure. That we will take care,” he said. Asserting that the sale of electric two wheelers has increased marginally in last one year, Sinha said “we ourselves are very keen that electric vehicles should be promoted.” Tata Power-DDL is a joint venture between Tata Power and the government of Delhi with the majority stake being held by the power firm. Tata Power-DDL distributes electricity in the North and North-West of Delhi. John Jerry Authentic Jersey
ONGC arm OPal starts exports from Dahej plant to Singapore
ONGC Petro Additions (OPaL) has begun exports to Singapore and intends to float a tender soon for exporting more products to other countries. The first consignment of butadiene was shipped to Singapore, and the company wants to export more products benzene, etc. to other countries as well for which it will be floating tenders, Opal chief executive K Satyanarayana told PTI today. The Rs 30,000-crore OPal plant here is the first one set up under the petroleum, chemicals and petrochemicals investment region (PCPIR) in the Dahej SEZ, under which it has to export 50 per cent of production, Satyanarayana added. The city-based OPal is a joint venture promoted by ONGC, GAIL and Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation. This plant was commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 7. Satyanarana said “this is the single largest petrochemicals plant in the country and is working at full capacity now. We have annual capacity of 14 lakh metric tonnes of polymers, low and high density polyethelene, polypropylene and 5 lakh metric tonnes of benzene, butadiene and pyrolysis gasoline etc.” Dahej is among the first four PCPIRs planned in the country. The Dahej PCPIR has a potential to employ 32,000 people directly. “OPaL is in talks with Kuwait’s Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) on a possible stake sale and is ready to offer as much as 40 per cent to the new partner,” said Satyanarayana. On the revenue said, he said once fully operational, the plant can generate annual revenue of Rs 16,000 crore. The petrochemicals sector has been growing at 10-12 per cent per annum since the last decade, and is expected to grow at 12-15 per cent in the next decade, he said. The optimism comes from the low per capita consumption of polymers in the country which is about 10 kg against the global average of 32 kg, showing potential for further upsides, he said. Andrew Hammond Womens Jersey
Land around govt infrastruture may cost more
A road or a flyover can change the landscape. Residents along the EM Bypass know it better than anybody else. Land prices soared in these areas with land owners making hefty profits. Now they may have to share a part of their profits with the government. The new Kamalgazi flyover on the southern fringes of the city connecting the Southern Bypass going to Baruipur is a case in point. The flyover itself has led to a spurt in development activities along this Bypass running parallel to NSC Bose Road with a host of housing projects, schools coming up in the area. The Mamata Banerjee government is mulling a direct levy — betterment fee — on landowners who are selling large plots around government infrastructure for big-ticket commercial projects. State municipal affairs department proposes the fee amount to be half of the land appreciation cost. The appreciation is the price difference of land when a government project is announced and when it is completed. The result is obvious. Land owners if asked to shell out “betterment fee” will factor in the levy while selling out the land to a developer, and developer will quickly pass it on to the consumer, pinching his pockets further. “Residents in specific areas have benefited from several infrastructure projects — a flyover, a road, widening of the existing road. Land prices have appreciated in these areas. Landowners should share a part of their profit with the government because the land prices wouldn’t have gone up without the development projects. But we are not going to levy the charge on each and every one. We will begin with those who have sold large parcels of land to real estate or other commercial projects,” said state municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim. The proposal is part of the draft West Bengal Town and Country (Planning and Development) Amendment Bill, 2017, likely to be tabled in the assembly this week. Once the bill is passed, the government will frame the rules identifying the designated areas across the state where people at large have benefited from government infrastructure projects, road project, housing project or a re-housing scheme. “It goes without saying that residents in the upcoming smart cities will have to shell out the proposed betterment fee for the amenities on offer from the government side,” a state official said. The proposal is not unique for Bengal. The Maharashtra government is also planning an impact fee on landowners in areas designated as benefit zones in Mumbai. Some others are considering models that will allow the government to share the benefits of asset price rise due to an infrastructure project. The options include an impact fee to be levied on the landowners; an infrastructure fund where a certain share of the financial gains that a landowner has made exclusively due to the infrastructure project will be deposited; or a chargeable floor space index (FSI) based on transit-oriented development (TOD) charges. Dansby Swanson Authentic Jersey
UK,UAE-based funds keen on Indian infra projects through NIIF
National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF) is in discussion with investors to raise money for key infrastructure projects and is in the process of finalising two of them in a month’s time. “We have shortlisted investors. Seven memorandum of understandings (MoU) has been signed as of now…investors are doing due diligence before committing,” a source in know of the matter told Moneycontrol. While the official did not spell out the name of global investors, he said that a UK-based firm has shown keen interest in investing in renewable energy sector in India. “It should be finalised in a month,” the source said, adding that United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based sovereign fund has also shown firm interest in investing in India’s road projects. It is also in an advanced stage of discussion. Besides, renewable energy and road projects, some investors have shown interest in funding other sectors including airports and ports, the source said. The government hopes to raise at least Rs 1,000 crore by the end of the month, another official in know of the development said. As per the latest Budget estimates, the government has lowered the allocation for NIIF to Rs 1,000 crore in the revised estimates from Rs 4,000 crore during 2016-17. The budgeted estimated for financial year 2017-18 has also been kept at Rs 1,000 crore. “It (Rs 1,000 crore) has been fixed keeping in view the expected inflows. We can always ramp it up later during the year if we see more interest from global investors,” the official explained. The allocation for 2016-17 was revised, based in the investment that the government expected to come in, the official further said. In 2015, the Centre had set up NIIF—a quasi-sovereign wealth fund—for funding commercially viable greenfield, brownfield and stalled projects. The corpus of the Fund is proposed to be Rs 40,000 crore, where the government would invest 49% or an amount equivalent to nearly Rs 20,000 crore. NIIF will raise third party capital for the remaining Rs.20,000 crore from long term international investors, such as sovereign wealth funds, insurance, pension funds and endowments among others. The fund has been set up as a fund of funds structure with an aim to generate risk adjusted returns for its investors, along with promoting infrastructure development and technology through investments. Will Lutz Authentic Jersey
Delhi budget: Infrastructure allocation 20 per cent less than last year’s
In the past two years, the government’s focus has shifted away from roads and bridges to schools and hospitals. This is clear from this year’s allocation to Public Works Department, which is about 20% less than the amount earmarked in last year’s budget. Sources claim this fund is sufficient for ongoing projects, especially since last year’s allocation had to be revised midway after several projects were not accorded clearance. “We have been given what we had asked for. PWD barely took up any new project last year or received clearance for future projects. However, in the anticipation that we may see some projects taking off later this year, we hope to submit revised budget estimates later in the year,” said a senior official. Of the Rs 2,450 crore set aside for infrastructure development, Rs 823 crore has been allocated for roads and bridges. It will be pertinent to point out that PWD has to carry out large-scale repair and redevelopment of roads in the city as the condition of many is utterly abject. The city is likely to see a couple of major infrastructure projects take off finally this year, which include the construction of an underpass at the highly-congested Ashram intersection. This will allow signal-free movement for traffic moving from the Sabz Burz rotary towards Badarpur border. The other project, cleared recently, is a skywalk at ITO, connecting the Pragati Maidan Metro station with the Tilak Marg railway station and various other points at the busy intersection. The construction of a new flyover or underpass, as may be decided later, connecting Mahipalpur with the IGI Airport will also start shortly. The government has separately allocated Rs 150 crore for the completion of Barapullah phase-III, a bridge which will connect Mayur Vihar with Sarai Kale Khan and onward to INA. Kevin Hayes Jersey
PAC seeks details of DIAL’s revenue
A parliamentary panel has sought details of revenue earned by Delhi airport operator DIAL since the privatisation of the facility as it observed that government is “losing heavily”. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) headed by Congress MP K V Thomas has directed the Civil Aviation Ministry to provide the details of the total earnings of DIAL and revenue earned by the government in terms of its approved shares. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) is a joint venture in which GMR group holds 64 per cent while Airports Authority of India (AAI) has 26 per cent. The rest 10 per cent shares are with Fraport AG. At a meeting at Delhi International Airport, the PAC members observed that government is “losing heavily” in the joint venture firm DIAL and asked the Ministry officials to submit its revenue details, a source privy to information said. During the meeting, Thomas said that this information will enable the PAC to decide whether public interest was substantially served or not, the source added. Raising concerns about commercial encroachment, the PAC members observed that the space for passengers was shrinking at the country’s busiest airport, said a source. Marlon Mack Authentic Jersey
Foreign power equipment: Should the domestic industry lobby be worried on grid security?
The domestic power industry lobby has once again raised concerns over the use of Chinese gear in the Indian powergrid projects and electrical power systems. The increasing use of Chinese products and technology is a serious concern at a time when the transmission grid and distribution infrastructure is becoming increasingly intelligent but more vulnerable too, the lobby claims. In a recent letter to the power ministry, New Delhi-based Indian Electrical and Electronics Foreign power equipment: Should the domestic industry lobby be worried on grid security? Manufacturers Association (IEEMA) highlighted what it calls a “security threat” to critical power infrastructure with increased use of foreign automation and communication systems being introduced for operation and management of the electricity grid. “Malware and spyware in these communicable devices can be activated any time even by remote. In the connected systems, intelligent equipment talk to each other and exchange data and information making the system more efficient, but at the same time increasing the vulnerability, if exposed to suspect individuals, companies and nations which may use such access to their advantage,” IEEMA said. This is not the first time the domestic industry has raised the issue. The industry has a long history of flagging such concerns – over issues ranging from low cost and cheap quality to spyware now. The imported equipment may come with spyware with the potential to damage or cause failure or collapse of the entire power grid, the industry body says. These concerns surface on the background of the massive grid collapse faced by India in June 2012. The blackout had reportedly impacted nearly a third of the entire population. The government had later clarified the grid collapse was caused by supply and demand imbalances in the constituent regional grids and was not a result of any cyber attack. So, how do IT systems make a power grid vulnerable? Is the Indian grid infrastructure technologically equipped to counter cyber attacks? And, most importantly, how justified are the industry’s concerns? THE NATURE OF THE THREAT The concerns stem largely from the notion of geo-political rivalry between the two nations (India and China), says Sameer Patil, Director, Centre for International Security at “Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations”, a foreign policy think tank based in Mumbai. “We have border disputes with China. We have issues with the kind of cooperation they have with Pakistan and their activities in the Indian Ocean. So, it is always a possibility that they will bring that rivalry in the cyber domain,” ? Patil told ETEnergyWorld. Foreign power equipment: Should the domestic industry lobby be worried on grid security? Chinese firms are long known for supplying a large chunk of the Indian power generation equipment — including boilers, turbines and generators – and are mostly active at the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) level. Also, in the last two years, a few power utilities in states including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Puducherry have awarded projects for implementation of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems of 20 towns to a large Chinese firm. Chinese state-owned China Southern Power Grid International (HK Company Ltd) had in January submitted a proposal to build, own and operate power transmission networks in a consortium with CLP India Pvt Ltd. This was in response to bids called for three projects including transmission system for an ultra-mega solar park in Jaisalmer and two inter-regional transmission corridors. In the generation segment, of the total thermal capacity of 48,540 Megawatt commissioned in 11th Plan period (2007-12), main plant equipment for 18,187 Mw was supplied by Chinese manufacturers. During the 12th Plan, too, main plant equipment for 18,770 Mw of the total thermal capacity addition of 46,563 Mw was supplied by Chinese manufacturers. “Out of total thermal capacity of about 87,837 Mw under construction, main plant equipment for about 30,275 MW are being supplied by Chinese manufacturers,” Power minister Piyush Goyal had said in a written reply to a question in parliament last month. The huge presence of Chinese equipment and technology comes at a time the government is focussing on increasing the use of smart grids which use information technology to optimize power use and make the systems more efficient. A US network security company FireEye had last year released information identifying an ‘almost certainly’ Chinese group had attacked websites of more than 70 institutions in India in recent years using a script called “water main”. Foreign power equipment: Should the domestic industry lobby be worried on grid security? HOW DAMAGING COULD BE AN ATTACK ON THE GRID? Among the popular instances of attack on industrial control systems is the one caused by computer worm Stuxnet that attacked the cyberspace in 2010. Of the many countries infected, India had the third-highest damages. According to media reports, of the 10,000 infected Indian computers at the time, 15 were located at what are called ‘critical infrastructure’ facilities. These included the Gujarat and Haryana electricity boards and an offshore oil rig of state-owned petroleum explore Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). “This investigation actually resulted in the eye-opening revelation that India’s industrial control systems are susceptible like that of any other nation. It was indeed a matter of grave concern that the only known and documented attempt to compromise SCADA systems at a widespread scale had a substantial impact on India, including the organizations manning the utilities like power, hydroelectric and gas, etc,” cyber intelligence specialist Pukhraj Singh writes in a note. According to Sameer Patil, such attacks have the potential to damage or disrupt power equipment and shut down critical power grid systems which, in turn, could affect industries and lead to mass power outage. GLOBAL EXAMPLES India is not the only nation dealing with concerns over cyber security of the national grid — countries around the world have faced such threats. Australia had blocked a $7.5 billion deal a few months back to lease its biggest electricity grid to Chinese and Hong Kong investors citing “national security” concerns. China’s State Grid
India’s Rise Into The Private Jet Industry
We don’t know too many people who don’t lose all hope when they get hit with the C-word. Kanika was diagnosed with cancer when she was 22, what’s amazing about her is not that she beat it, but that she did so in a year only with even more vigor to resume starting up JetSetGo, an online private jet concierge service. After launching in 2013, JetSetGo claims to have the largest private jet fleet in India. It’s all about increasing transparency of how to charter an aircraft for private use and also bringing back luxury and class to the flight experience. Kanika and JetSetGo shells out airport escorts, ground staff and trained cabin crew to make sure their clients feel oh so VIP. Most of the Kanika’s clientele has a net worth of at least 10 million dollars. A private jet for a birthday party start can be anything north of Rs 60,000 an hour to Rs 2.5 lakh per hour, depending on the aircraft. Another famous example is the seven course meal set for a romantic date aboard a jet. The ostrich eggs, crabmeat risotto, parma ham, pâté and the entire experience was for a cool Rs 5.5 lakh. Kanika and JetSetGo are jetsetters all the way. Their investors include Yuvraj Singh, Puneet Dalmia and advisors like one of Singapore’s richest, Karan Singh Thakral, executive director of the multi-billion dollar Thakral Group. The JetSetGo profile for Kanika says she, “A fighter all the way, she claims to have jet fuel running through her veins while breathing and eating planes.” Gareon Conley Jersey
Why India needs low-cost airlines
India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. A report published by IATA (International Air Transport Association) has thrown light on the immense potential of the growing Indian aviation sector. Indian aviation industry is likely to rule the roost by the end of 2026, by adding more than 300 million fliers into the fold, said the report. The surging popularity of the online travel portals will propel the market outreach of the low-cost carriers, a phenomenon supported by the fact finding done by a travel market research agency, which in its report published that more than 35% of Indians preferred to book online tickets in 2015. To mention that the numbers are expected to grow manifold in the years to come would be like stating the obvious in view of the priority that the populace lays on time consumption while selecting the mode of booking travel tickets. The report tabled by the marketing agency also said that the lower LLC prices have also created a proper climate of growth for the Indian aviation industry in the last few years. The airline sector is operating with more than 400 commercial flights, and the demand will spike, whereby the industry will need more than 1700 flights in the coming few years, believe the fence sitters. Joe Mixon Womens Jersey
Indian Aviation Industry to witness max passenger traffic growth amidst profitability pressure, says ICRA
Credit rating agency ICRA has said that the Indian Aviation Industry is likely to report 22 to 23 percent passenger traffic growth in FY2017 supported by ongoing low airfare regime says ICRA in its report. The airlines are maintaining healthy PLFs backed by low airfares. However, since the ATF prices have been on an uptrend during the year, the impact on profitability of the airlines during Q4 FY2017 is inevitable as average ATF prices during the quarter are 37.9 percent higher YoY, while the yields continue to remain under pressure. As per ICRA estimates, the fuel cost per ASKM (CASK) of the domestic aviation industry increased to Rs. 1.16 in January 2017 from a low of Rs. 0.82 in February 2016, and the same is expected to increase further in February and March 2017. “The Indian Aviation industry has reported YoY passenger traffic growth of 23.2 percent during 10m FY2017 period and the industry is heading towards completing one of the best years in terms of passenger traffic growth. The domestic passenger growth for last five years stood at 12.9 percent, 5.3 percent, 4.6 percent, 15.5 percent and 22.1 percent and the industry is likely to surpass the last year growth rate, notably on a higher base. The traffic growth performance has also been one of the best amongst other key aviation markets in the world,” said AVP and Associate Head Corporate Sector ratings ICRA, Anand Kulkarni. Chris Hogan Womens Jersey