The capacity of wind power projects offered in the upcoming tranche of competitive bidding has been slashed to 1,200 MW from the original proposal of 2,500 MW.
The capacity of wind power projects offered in the upcoming tranche of competitive bidding has been slashed to 1,200 MW from the original proposal of 2,500 MW, highlighting challenges faced by the country towards achieving the target of 175 giga-watt (GW) renewable energy capacity by 2022.
The development closely follows the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) cancelling 2,000 MW wind tenders, which official sources attribute to the tepid response from developers, in the wake of independent wind power producers not being able to find channels to evacuate power from their upcoming projects.
A person aware of the developments said the SECI, along with the Central Electricity Authority, Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) and the ministries of power and new and renewable energy (MNRE), has formed a committee to address the issue of inadequate power transmission mechanism for wind power plants.
A section of the industry FE spoke to is apprehensive that it might push the MNRE to chart a new auction trajectory for 10 GW wind power capacities set for FY19. Queries sent to the ministry on this issue were not responded till going to press.
FE had reported in early July that the SECI was undecided about the next course of action for 2,000 MW bid in the wake of such an unprecedented underwhelming response. ReNew Power, Adani, Sprng Energy and Riyadh-based Alfanar were the only companies to submit tenders for less than 300 MW each. Inadequate transmission infrastructure in wind-rich states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu had been a persistent impediment to wind power developers, and this was one of the reasons behind a number of them not participating in the 2,000 MW auction announced by the SECI in April.
Source: financialexpress
