Govt auctions 1,000 MW of projects at Rs 3.46 a unit
India’s ambitious green energy programme took a giant leap as the country’s first wind energy auction has seen tariff dropping dramatically to Rs 3.46 per unit, mirroring the steep fall in the solar power sector and giving coal-fired plants another emission-free and competitive rival to worry about. Solar tariffs have already fallen to Rs 2.97 per unit after a series of auctions in recent years in which companies that quoted the lowest tariff were awarded projects. “These are exciting times, cleaner times. Our intention is to provide affordable 24X7 power, yet protect the environment and leave behind a brighter and cleaner future for the next generation,” Piyush Goyal, the minister for power, coal, renewable energy and mines, told ET. The auction, conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India, invited bids for 1,000 megawatts of wind projects that could be set up anywhere in the country. The winners are Mytrah Energy (India) Pvt Ltd, Green Infra Wind Energy Ltd, Inox Wind Infrastructure Services Ltd and Ostro Kutch Wind Pvt Ltd, all of whom quoted the identical tariff of Rs 3.46 per kwH and have been awarded 250 MW each. Adani Green Energy (MP) Ltd also quoted the same tariff. An additional project of 250 MW is likely to be awarded to it, even though the original auction was for only 1000 MW. There were 10 bidders in all. The rest quoted higher tariffs. So far, wind tariffs were set by regulators of the nine states producing wind power, unlike solar projects which for some years have been auctioned and awarded to companies quoting the lowest tariff. Wind energy tariffs have varied from a high of Rs 6.04 per unit in parts of Rajasthan to Rs 4.08 for some projects in Maharashtra. Most have varied from Rs 4 to Rs 5 a unit. Other states where wind energy is generated are Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. The idea of holding wind power auctions had been mooted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) nearly a year ago, though three earlier attempts to hold them — once by Karnataka and twice by Rajasthan — had proved unsuccessful, with various legal issues raised by wind power associations holding them up. In October last year, however, the government issued a formal notice to auction 1000 MW of wind power projects. The last dates for submission of bids and their opening were twice deferred, until they were finally opened on Thursday. Earlier this month, solar tariffs dropped to an all-time low of Rs 2.97 per kwH during the bidding to set up segments of a 750 MW solar project in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, which is likely to be the largest solar plant in the world. The lowest solar bid till then had been Rs 4 per kwH. Minister Goyal tweeted: “After solar cost reduction below Rs 3 per unit, wind power cost down to Rs 3.46 per unit through transparent auction. A green future awaits India.” The fall in wind tariff is in some ways more significant than its solar counterpart. “There is some degree of government support in the (750 MW) MP solar project,” said Ashwini Kumar, managing director of SECI. “But for these just-auctioned wind projects, there is none.” To encourage investment in renewable energy, the government has a scheme of providing viability gap funding (VGF) for renewable energy developers. But in the current wind auction, none of the winning developers have sought VGF. Most of the new projects are expected to come up in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. As of December 2016, India had installed wind power capacity of 28,700.44 MW.
As solar shines, time to balance generation
Last week, the winning bid for a solar project in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, offered a levelized tariff of about Rs3.3 per unit (with first year tariff at Rs2.97). That’s 24% cheaper than the Rs4.34 per unit offered by the winner of the Bhadla solar park project in Rajasthan in January 2016. Such a plunge in tariff was made possible only because the developer, under a power purchase agreement, has been assured of the following: timely and complete payment security, prevention of shutdown of the solar power plant during grid instability or unavailability of transmission line, ensuring free land availability for construction, and assuring transmission or evacuation facility for offtake of power. In other words, many material risks were off the table. Such sweetheart deals may not be available for all upcoming solar bids since it will be largely dependent on the credit-worthiness of the electricity buyer, availability and price of land, and transmission modalities. In other words, the solar tariff of about Rs3.3 would remain a pipe dream if risks related to payment, curtailment, land and transmission are not mitigated in future projects. Theoretically, such tariffs also mean the solar sector has reached grid parity in terms of not just the power purchase cost of new thermal electricity generating stations, but also the all-India average pooled power purchase cost of discoms. To be sure, policymaking corridors are reverberating with calls to replace new capacity addition in thermal with solar, but that would be an uninformed move without taking an integrated view on addressing peaking shortages, efficiency of thermal generation, grid management, overall balancing cost, and the socialization charges of solar generation.Essentially, this would require addressing four flanks. First is that there is a mismatch in the timing of generation and peak electricity demand—demand peaks in the morning and evening, when solar generation is not possible. Also, with batteries and storage still expensive, increasing solar share would require greater balancing with hydro/gas-based power to smoothen out the variability and peak demand. In other words, commensurate investment in hydro/gas would be needed to maximize solar generation. Second, there is the milieu to contend with. While the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has reported a power surplus situation, demand has been sluggish in the past one year. Additionally, about 40 GW of thermal power plants are under construction. All that means is growth in solar will have an impact on the plant load factor (PLF) and efficiencies of existing and new thermal projects. In other words, their cost of generation and the overall cost of power in the grid will rise. The CEA, in its recent draft National Electricity Plan (NEP), projects thermal PLFs to be at 48% if capacity addition in renewables is 175 GW by 2022, and at 54% if it is 125 GW (which is the CEA’s bear case capacity addition). Such low PLF levels will not only have an impact on the commercial viability of projects, but also lead to inefficient thermal generation that affects sector viability and sustainability of environment. For instance, any reduction in PLFs beyond a threshold will lead to higher station heat rate, and consequently higher coal consumption and poor efficiency. Therefore, capacity addition in renewable energy needs to be synchronized with the ecosystem such that efficiency loss in thermal and the balancing cost is minimized. Third, there is a limit to how much inconstant power a local grid can support, which can cause stability issues. A target of 175 GW translates to around 75% of India’s peak load requirement by fiscal 2022. Absorbing such a high quantum of inconstant power will require access to a greater balancing area. While most of the capacity addition in renewables has taken place on a state-level basis, there is a need to encourage interstate transactions for such energy. For example, Jharkhand, which invited solar bids for 1,200 MW as against its local peak demand of close to 2,000 MW, will most likely face challenges in efficiently managing grid issues in the near term. This will require successful implementation of the availability-based tariff mechanism, good forecasting capacities, scheduling framework at the state level, and implementation of electronic metering infrastructure. Fourth and last, while the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission currently exempts inter-state transmission charges for renewable energy, there is a need to re-evaluate both the direct and indirect impact of renewable energy on transmission charges in the context of loading excess cost on other forms of power generation. The direct impact of renewable energy is that associated transmission charges fall on thermal counterparts, while the indirect impact will be because of reduced utilization of transmission capacity owing to the lower PLF of thermal projects. So while falling solar tariffs augur well, the sustainability of an aggressive capacity-addition target of 125 GW for renewable energy will depend on balancing cost, efficiency of thermal generation, grid management, and investments in hydro- and gas-based power to meet peak demand. Carlos Rodon Authentic Jersey
Why Punjab should not provide free power; state can reward farmers via cash
Who will form the next government in Punjab next month is currently sealed in the ballot boxes. In the mean time there are reports that the Election Commission has written to the home minister reinforcing its demand to make electoral bribery a cognisable offence. But what about the assurances made in election manifestos which promise moon before election? Can that not be checked by the Election Commission? The reference is to Punjab elections where all major political parties have promised to waive-off farmer loans. That means any incoming party will be under tremendous pressure to fulfil its promise of loan waiver. And if it is done in Punjab, very soon it will spread like an infectious disease in other states, taking the same shape as was during the 2008-09 mega loan waiver of UPA government, which finally cost the exchequer R52,517 crore. But, if a loan waiver was the solution to the problems of peasantry, there should not have been any farm distress after 2008-09. Problems of peasantry still persist simply because answers lie somewhere else. Take the case of Punjab. Punjab has been a front runner in agriculture since green revolution days. Its agri-GDP registered an average annual growth of about 10% during the first four years of green revolution (1966-67 to 1969-70). But during the period of current government, agri-GDP growth dropped to 1.5% per annum (2007-08-2014-15, latest available data), which is even lower than the national average of 3.2%, and way below the best performer Madhya Pradesh whose agri-growth stood at 10.9% per annum during the same period (see accompanying chart). Notwithstanding the fact that Punjab’s per hectare productivity is pretty high, the moot question is where did Punjab go wrong, and what sort of policies can get it back on high growth trajectory on sustainable basis? First, Punjab seems to have become a victim of its own success. Grain, primarily wheat and rice, occupies 80% of its gross cropped area (GCA), with almost highest productivity in India. This was great when India was suffering from food shortages. However, the situation today is completely different. After 2007-08, India emerged as a net exporter of cereals. Cereal stocks crossed 80 million tonnes (mt) on July 1, 2012, more than double the buffer stock norms. As a result of this ‘abundance’, the increases given in minimum support prices (MSP) of wheat and paddy were very meagre. This has brought down the profitability in these crops, and thus the income of Punjabi farmers. Just to give a flavour of the MSPs in India vis-a-vis some neighbouring countries, the MSP of wheat in China was $385/MT in 2014-15, in Pakistan $325/MT vis-à-vis India’s $225/MT. Similarly, for Indica rice China gave a support price of $440/MT as against $320/MT for India’s common rice. Punjab peasantry suffered due to ban on exports of wheat and rice (during 2007-11), stocking limits on private trade, besides heavy taxes and commissions imposed on purchase of wheat and rice from state, which go as high as 14.5%. In a country where 1% tax on purchase of jewellery creates uproar, it is ridiculous to have 14.5% tax on basic staples like wheat and rice. The net result of this misguided policy is that food processing industry, which can add value, feels extremely reluctant to enter Punjab and most of the roller-flour mills in Punjab buy their wheat from Uttar Pradesh! Second, although Punjab was the first to build a good marketing infrastructure for wheat and rice, it failed to create similar facilities for perishables like fruits and vegetables. As a result, prices of perishables remain volatile increasing the risk of farmers, who feel reluctant to shift to high value agriculture. Only 3.4% of Punjab’s GCA is under F&V compared to 8.3% at all India level. The state has to realise that there is a limit to augment farmers’ incomes through cereals unless lot of value addition is done, and the state has to shift towards high value horticulture and dairy to benefit farmers. Punjab has one of the highest milk productivity in the country, but share of milk production being processed by the organised sector is just 10%, compared to 20% at all India level and 53% in Gujarat. This clearly speaks of the need to ramp up milk processing facilities in the state. Third, the most critical problem of Punjab agriculture is its depleting water table primarily due to paddy cultivation during summer. The nexus of ground water irrigation-free power-assured procurement- are sending wrong signals to farmers. The water table declined by 70 centimeter per year from 2008 to 2012. Currently, 80% of blocks in Punjab are declared dark blocks where water is over exploited (see accompanying map). It looks as if the current generation is taking away the water rights of future generations. With one kg of rice consuming 3,000-5,000 liters of irrigation water, exporting common rice is not a very wise proposition for Punjab’s agriculture. This has to be rationalised and government should incentivise technologies like direct seeding of rice and drip irrigation in rice. Pilots in these areas show savings of 30-50% irrigation water. HomeMarket CommoditiesWhy Punjab should not provide free power; state can reward farmers via cash Why Punjab should not provide free power; state can reward farmers via cash There are reports that the Election Commission has written to the home minister reinforcing its demand to make electoral bribery a cognisable offence. By: The Financial Express | Published: February 27, 2017 3:41 AM 12 SHARES FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedInEmail Punjab Politics, PUnjab Elections, Election Commission, EC, farmer loans, BJP, UPA Government, AAP, green revolution, Punjab agriculture, incentivise technologies There are reports that the Election Commission has written to the home minister reinforcing its demand to make electoral bribery a cognisable offence. Who will form the next government in Punjab next month is currently sealed in the ballot boxes. In the mean time there are reports that the Election Commission has written to the home minister reinforcing its demand to make electoral bribery a cognisable
India, Uganda to expand cooperation in energy sector
India and resource-rich Uganda agreed to expand cooperation in the energy sector and training of personnel for space programme and peaceful use of atomic energy. Vice President Hamid Ansari, on the second day of his visit to Uganda, held talks with President Yoweri Museveni at the State House and reviewed the “entire gamut” of bilateral cooperation. “We reviewed the entire gamut of our bilateral ties. We remain committed to working together in trade, investment, development cooperation, agriculture, IT, defence cooperation domains,” Ansari said during a joint press conference with President Museveni. “We also agreed to expand cooperation in the energy sector and training of personnel for space programme and peaceful use of atomic energy,” he said after his “very fruitful” meeting with Museveni. “One area where emphasis was put was on vocational training for skill development,” Ansari said. As Ansari held a tete-a-tete with Museveni, senior government officials held bilateral talks with their counterparts. President Museveni also pitched for Indian companies to manufacture automobiles locally to discourage import of cars. “We have automobiles and other imports from India, and also machines and machine parts. But, I alerted the Vice President that in the future we should start to look out for assembling manufacturing vehicles here to discourage import of cars in East Africa,” he said. Ansari said, “This certainly means the possibility that it would open up for Indian manufacturers and local investors. And, this is something that I would take back home to our business community.” The President also hosted a luncheon for Ansari and described the Indo-Uganda relationship as “long-standing, warm and respectful.” Earlier in the day, Ansari met his counterpart Edward Ssekandi at the Vice President’s Secretariat and held bilateral talks with him. The Vice President arrived in Kampala yesterday after a visit to Rwanda, where he spent three days in its capital Kigali. His Uganda visit ends tomorrow. “We support each other and the discussion today was for mutual benefit,” Museveni said. Oliver Kylington Jersey
Renewable energy mission needs a robust grid network
Air pollution in Delhi and metropolitan cities of India has dominated much of the recent conversation in the judiciary, government and media. Half of the world’s 20 most polluted cities, according to World Health Organization, are in India and these cities are immensely contributing to climate change. On 2 October 2016, India ratified the Paris climate agreement, officially emphasizing its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, just two years after embarking on the grand campaign to scale up country’s renewable energy capacity to 175 gigawatt (GW) by 2022, India is facing a serious problem. While wind power has faced curtailment in the past in Tamil Nadu, solar energy is being curtailed for the first time, sometimes over 50% during peak generation periods. Utilities have the discretion to decline buying power in the name of stabilizing the grid or preserving the grid balance. Grid curtailment is one of the biggest operating risks for the future of the solar sector given India’s transmission capacity is already overburdened. The curtailment threat is highest in Jharkhand, where the average daytime power demand is less than 1 GW but the state has already tendered 1.2 GW of solar projects. As India aspires to lead the world in renewables, will the grid be an obstruction or a catalyst for renewable energy development? Causes of the problem The problem is largely a technical one. Solar and wind power are not as easy to control as traditional fossil fuel plants, so power grids need to become flexible enough to handle frequent changes in power generation. Additionally, distance is an issue. In India, six states in the western and southern regions account for 80% of all of the country’s currently installed solar capacity, but only 38% of power demand. For grid operators used to being able to turn fossil fuel plants on and off at will, these changes are easier. If new measures are not urgently put into place to accommodate variable renewable energy sources, a situation can arise where the grid operator will be unable to use solar and wind power when it becomes available. Experience of other countries Other countries have already dealt with this problem with varying degrees of success. Germany and the US have relatively high levels of solar and wind penetration and low curtailment rates, while China has major curtailment as the share of wind and solar in the energy mix increases. Germany achieved low curtailment rates with high renewable energy penetrations through improved grid planning and changes to the power market structure. In another case, the state of Texas implemented smaller changes to how the grid is operated and it made all the difference. For example, the Texas grid operator ERCOT shifted from 15-minute dispatch intervals on the intra-day market to 5-minute intervals, allowing for superior planning around variable wind and solar power plants. (India currently uses 15-minute dispatch intervals.) ALSO READ | Wind power reverse auction today, may witness aggressive bidding Although China has been able to build out renewable energy capacity swiftly over the past decade, it has taken much longer to develop the transmission infrastructure and make the institutional changes required to utilize all of this new power. Grid curtailment issues continue to impact the export of power from solar projects and some provinces such as Gansu and Xinjiang (31% and 26% of curtailment respectively) have been hit severely. Recommendations to government How can India learn from the experience of other countries and rapidly scale up renewables without any wastage or curtailment? 1. Execution of green corridor The variability of solar and wind energy can be mitigated to a large extent through transmission interconnections, thus, the first priority for India is to complete the transmission infrastructure through its $3.5 billion green energy corridor program so that renewable power can be transmitted where it is needed. Further transmission systems need to be built ahead of renewable energy generation as transmission projects typically take up to five years to become operational whereas solar projects become operational within 12-18 months. There are significant power surpluses in some states and power deficits in others. New investment in inter-state and intra-state transmission systems will help balance out such disparities. 2. Strengthening the national grid Accelerating planning and completion of the power grid will enable the country to better manage power problems through efficient transmission system. The objective of “One Nation-One Grid-One Frequency” is necessary to get full utilization of the nearly 175 GW of solar and wind capacity that will be installed by 2022. Besides the National Power Grid, transmission lines within states need to be completed and modernized. This will also enable India to take advantage of the vast amounts of solar energy available from Ladakh, a cold desert and Jaisalmer, part of the Great Indian Thar desert, to power future energy needs of heavy consumption areas. 3. Emerging role of electricity storage Electricity storage will play an important role in reducing curtailment. Electricity storage is unique in the Indian context where more than 300 million people still have no access to power. The cost of storage is still a major barrier to mass adoption, but prices are dropping rapidly. As the price of energy storage drops, it will become an increasingly compelling complement to variable renewable energy. India stands a unique chance of leading the world in electricity storage. To facilitate this, the government should encourage battery manufacturing under the “Make in India” programme, as import of grid-scale batteries due to their extreme weight not only leads to high transportation costs but also creates other logistical challenges. In this regard, the government can co-locate battery manufacturing with top solar regions in India, which are attractive to storage companies. 4. Creation of South Asian grid Flexible generating resources (quick start, swift ramp-up or ramp-down) such as hydro and gas plants along with active distribution management system would go a long way to improve the stability & reliability of the grid. It may be added here that India’s neighbouring countries—Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka,
UP government discriminating in giving power connections, Piyush Goyal says
Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday accused the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh of providing power connections to members of “one community” in the state where assembly elections are underway. He said BJP MP from Mooradabad Sarvesh Kumar Singh had alleged that the state government was giving power connections to people from a “particular community” and denying it to others in some areas of his constituency. When the minister asked for a report from the state government, it denied discrimination. But the MP then approached the Prime Minister who directed the Power Ministry to send a high level committee to investigate. “The committee in its report said there were several areas in Mooradabad where there was discrimination in giving power connections … This is a serious problem,” Goyal told reporters while repying to questions in this regard. He claimed that later many other public representatives made similar complaints about their areas facing such problems in Uttar Pradesh. Responding to a poser on the power situation in Varanasi, Goyal said data provided by an NGO, which monitors 300 towns and cities, shows that several areas in the Prime Minister’s constituency face 8 to 10 hour-long power cuts. This, he said, belies the claims of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav that Varanasi gets 24 hours of power supply. Earlier, the Prime Minister had accused the UP government of discriminating in power supply on religious grounds. Goyal claimed that since August 2016, the state government had stopped sharing information regarding quantum of power supplied to different feeders in the state. “I think they stopped providing information as their conscience was not clean. Just when the elections were round the corner, they announced that they are providing 24 hours of power, including to Varanasi,” he said. Dennis Rodman Jersey
Sikkim joins UDAY scheme; to get Rs 356 crore benefit
Sikkim has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre to become the 22nd state to join government’s power distribution revival scheme Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) and it is likely to derive a net benefit of Rs 356 core. The state will gain from the scheme by way of cheaper funds, reduction in AT&C losses and transmission losses, interventions in energy efficiency etc during the period of turnaround. The reduction in AT&C losses and transmission losses to 15 per cent and 3.50 per cent respectively is likely to bring additional revenue of around Rs. 328 crores, an official release said. “AT&C losses and transmission losses would be brought down through compulsory distribution transformer metering, consumer indexing and GIS mapping of losses, upgrade/change transformers, meters etc., smart metering of high-end consumers, feeder audit etc., besides eliminating the gap between cost of supply of power and realisation,” the release said. Demand side interventions in UDAY such as usage of energy-efficient LED bulbs, agricultural pumps, fans and air-conditioners and efficient industrial equipment through PAT (Perform, Achieve, Trade) would help in reducing peak load, flatten load curve and thus help in reducing energy consumption in the State of Sikkim. The gain is expected to be around Rs 25 crores. “While efforts will be made by the power distribution department of the state to improve their operational efficiency, and thereby reduce the cost of supply of power, the central government would also provide incentives to the state government for improving power infrastructure in the state and for further lowering the cost of power,” the release said. The release further said, with improved efficiency, the state power department would be in a better position to borrow funds at cheaper rates for power infrastructure development/improvement in the state. Malcolm Subban Authentic Jersey
NTPC’s total installed capacity increases to 48,143 MW
India’s largest power generator NTPC Ltd’s total installed capacity has increased to 48,143 Megawatt with the commissioning of its 115 MW Bhadla solar power project. NTPC, which contributes nearly 24 per cent of the country’s total power generation, has plans to set up 10,000 MW renewable projects by 2022. The company now has 19 coal based, seven gas based, 10 solar PV, one hydro and nine subsidiaries or joint venture power stations. NTPC currently has capacity of over 23,000 MW under implementation at 23 locations across the country including 4,300 MW being undertaken by joint venture and subsidiary companies. First wind power project of NTPC- Rojmal wind energy project 50 MW is being set up in the State of Gujarat. Recently, the first coal rake of NTPC’s Pakri-Barwadih coal mine at Hazaribagh was flagged-off making it a fully integrated company. So far in this financial year, NTPC’s thermal stations clocked a plant load factor (PLF) of 77.72 per cent as against national PLF of 59.64 per cent. NTPC has a vision to be the world’s leading power company, by becoming become 130 GW company by 2032 with Non fossil fuel based capacity of 30 per cent. Lance Stephenson Authentic Jersey
Cabinet approves doubling of solar power capacity to 40,000 MW
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the enhancement of capacity from 20,000 MW to 40,000 MW of the Scheme for Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects. A press statement said that the enhanced capacity would ensure setting up of at least 50 solar parks each with a capacity of 500 MW and above in various parts of the country. Smaller parks in Himalayan and other hilly States, where contiguous land may be difficult to acquire in view of the difficult terrain, will also be considered under the scheme. The capacity of the solar park scheme has been enhanced after considering the demand for additional solar parks from the States. Solar equipment manufacturing Speaking at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Renewable Energy Minister, Piyush Goyal, said that the government is working on a policy to encourage solar equipment manufacturing in India. He said, “There is considerable interest to set up solar equipment manufacturing in India. The benefit of M-Sips will also be extended to solar equipment manufacturing in India.” Solar parks Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects will be set up by 2019-20 with the Central Government financial support of Rs. 8,100 crore. The total capacity when operational will generate 64 billion units of electricity per year which will lead to abatement of around 55 million tonnes of CO2 per year over its life cycle. It would also contribute to the long-term energy security of the country and promote ecologically sustainable growth by reduction in carbon emissions and carbon footprint, as well as generate large direct and indirect employment opportunities in solar and allied industries like glass, metals, heavy industrial equipment etc. The solar parks will also provide productive use of abundant uncultivable lands which in turn facilitate development of the surrounding areas. Solar power park developer All the States and UTs are eligible for benefits under the scheme. The State Government will first nominate the Solar Power Park Developer (SPPD) and also identify the land for the proposed solar park. It will then send a proposal to MNRE for approval along with the name of SPPD. SPPD will then be sanctioned a grant of up to Rs. 25 lakh for preparing a detailed project report (DPR) of solar park. Thereafter, central financial assistance of up to Rs. 20 lakh/MW or 30 per cent of the project cost, including grid-connectivity cost, whichever is lower, will be released as per the milestones prescribed in the scheme. Solar Energy Corporation India (SECI) will administer the scheme under the direction of MNRE. The approved grant will be released by SECI. The solar parks will be developed in collaboration with the State Governments/UTs. The State Governments/UTs are required to select SPPD for developing and maintaining the solar parks. Arun-III project The government also approved a 900-MW hydro power project to be set up in Sankhuwasabha district of Nepal at a cost of Rs. 5,723.72 crore. The decision to approve the Arun-III project was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here today. “The Cabinet today approved setting up of Arun-III project at an estimated cost of Rs. 5,723.72 crore. The project is expected to achieve financial closure by September this year. The projected will be implemented within five years,” Goyal told reporters at a briefing here. Jonathan Ogden Jersey
NTPC Floats Tender For 10,000 MW Solar Power Project
NTPC Limited has opened tenders for a solar power renewable energy with a capacity of 10,000 MW, while fixing the target to be achieved till 2025 at 25,000 MW. D K Sood, Regional Executive Director of DBF (Dadri, Badarpur and Faridabad), NTPC Limited on Monday, meanwhile, spoke about the price gap between thermal power and solar power tariff rates. The average rate of power generated by coal-based projects of NTPC — India’s largest state-owned generation utility — is Rs 3.20 per unit. However, private solar power provider Amplus Energy Solutions recently bid to produce solar energy at Rs 2.97 per unit, the lowest ever, at its plant in Rewa Madhya Pradesh. Sood said that NTPC is mulling large-scale installation of solar panels in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, where several acres of land are available for such projects. Presently, NTPC has three solar power plants, of 5 MW capacity each, in Dadri, Faridabad and Badarpur. “A 5 MW solar power plant was set up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission on 20 acre near Ash Mound (Eco Park) in Dadri. Solar panels made up of polycrystalline material are being used. The estimated cost of this project is approximately Rs 48.6 crore,” said Sood. Brandon Montour Womens Jersey