Week In India: MNRE Forms PDC Cell, SECI Announces Details Of Virtual Meet For Bidding Methodology,MNRE Declares Details Of Participation Of E-Pre-bid Meet Under One Sun One World One Grid,CERC Issues Forbearance And Floor Price For REC Framework And More

CERC Issues Forbearance And Floor Price For REC Framework

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) recently issued an order on determination of forbearance and floor price for the REC framework.As per regulation of the REC Regulations, the Commission may, in consultation with the Central Agency (Power System Operation Corporation Limited) and Forum of Regulators from time to time provide for floor price and forbearance price separately for Solar and Non-solar Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).The forbearance price and floor price shall be effective from 01.07.2020 and shall remain in force till 30.06.2021 or until further orders of the Commission. The Commission has directed the Staff to undertake review of REC mechanism in the light of the prevailing market developments, including inter alia review of the need for floor and forbearance price for REC mechanism and vintage or technology multiplier. The forbearance price and floor price decided in this order for Non-solar RECs shall be applicable to Non-solar RECs issued on or after 01.04.2017. For Non-solar RECs issued prior to 01.04.2017and the trading shall take place in accordance with the Commission’s letter dated 28.05.2018.

CERC To Continue Previous Methodology For RTM Beyond 14th June 2020

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has passed an order in the matter of Real-time Market for Electricity in India (RTM) for Allocation of Transmission Corridor beyond 14th June 2020.The Commission based on the review of implementation experience and the market results found that apart from initial technical glitches which were swiftly resolved, there were no major challenges in the implementation of RTM with the methodology of transmission corridor allocation.It stated that with the existing methodology of transmission corridor allocation, RTM can be implemented reliably.The Commission has decided to continue with the same principle and methodology of transmission corridor allocation among the Power Exchanges for RTM beyond 14th June 2020.The Commission has also directed NLDC and Power Exchanges to give effect to the decisions for the smooth implementation of RTM.  

MNRE Forms PDC Cell; Aims To Attract Investments In India

Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has recently passed an order in regards with  formation of Project Development Cell (PDC) with the aim of attracting investments in India.The Central Government has recently approved the setting up of an Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) and Project Development Cells (PDCs) in Ministries/Departments of Government of India for attracting investments in India by development of investible projects in coordination between the Central Government and State Governments. The  main two objectives of Project Development Cells (PDCs) is to create projects with all approvals, land available for allocation and with the complete Detailed Project Reports for adoption/investment by investors and to identify issues that need to be resolved in order to attract and finalize the investments and put forth these before the Empowered Group. 

RITES Subsidiary Mandated For Setting Up 3 GW Solar Plants On Railway Land

Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) Limited’s subsidiary Railway Energy Management Company Ltd. (REMCL) has announced that it has secured its largest mandate from Indian Railways for handling tendering, installation supervision and managing power supply from 3 GW solar power plants to be set-up on vacant Indian Railway Land.The project will be divided into 3 phases of 1 GW each. The first and third phases of 1 GW each will be on a PPP basis under Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer model. The second phase of the project (1 GW) will be on the ownership model of REMCL, which will be eligible for capital subsidy under the CPSE investment scheme. According to the release, “The Railways have already identified suitable land to be leased to REMCL on nominal lease rent.”

MERC Grants ACME Solar To Claim Safeguard Duty Under Change in Law

Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) issued an order regarding Case of M/s. ACME Chittorgarh Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. seeking compensation towards increase in capital cost due to introduction and imposition of SafeGuard Duty.The commission allowed ACME Chittorgarh Solar Energy Private Ltd for claiming compensation on account of imposition of Safeguard Duty (including additional GST) under Change in Law provisions of PPA for capacity of 319.16 MW of Solar module/panel and also guided to provide undertaking that all modules installed at project site for supplying power to MSEDCL have been imported from the Country/ies which are subjected to Safeguard Duty.The commission stated that such ascertainment of compensation amount will be at risk and cost of the ACME Chittorgarh Solar Energy Private Ltd.It ordered MSEDCL to complete this process within 15 days.

MNRE Declares Details Of Participation Of E-Pre-bid Meet Under One Sun One World One Grid

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India announced Details for participation in the pre-bid meeting through video conferencing for the RFP of Developing a Long Term Vision, Implementation Plan, Road Map, and Institutional Framework for implementing One Sun One World One Grid.It is directed that interested firms shall submit the following details: a) The details of the firm/organization related to the eligibility criteria who are seeking to participate in the RFP b) Details of the Person(s) participating in the Pre-Bid meeting c) Queries.The scope of work is planned to be undertaken in a phased approach consisting of three phases viz. assessment, design & pilot followed by a full-scale roll-out.The bidding entity must also have MAAT (Average of last 3 years) to be INR 500 Crores from consulting business in India or any other country. Chartered Accountant certificate should be provided.

SECI Announces Details Of Virtual Meet For Finalizing Broad Contours of Bidding Methodology

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) recently announced that it is organizing a stakeholder consultation to explore the possible options to achieve the trinity of Flexibility, Firmness, and high PLF in RE Projects and also to finalize the broad contours of a bidding methodology in this regard.The meeting will be held online.It has been stated by the company that the meeting will be held on the Microsoft Teams platform, and the link will be activated at 2 PM on 22.06.2020.SECI has invited participants who are willing to present their views/ideas on the above subject. The participants should showcast their ideas through PPT presentations. The timeline for the presentation has been set to 5-8 minutes. Besides, it requested the participants to mail their presentations to ybkreddy@seci.co.in, and prashantu@seci.co.in the latest by 19th June 2020.

Andhra Pradesh Govt Approves Proposal for Setting up 10 GW Mega Solar Project

The Andhra Pradesh government has approved the proposal to install 10 GW mega solar power project for the welfare of farmers. The project will provide nine hours of consecutive power supply to farmers during the daytime, besides establishing an Integrated Renewable Energy Project (IREP). In a statement, Perni Venkataramaiah, Minister of Information and Public Relations stated that as part of the IREP, 550 MW of wind power, 1200 MW of hydropower, and 1000 MW of solar power would be generated. The State government would be earning a revenue of Rs 32 crores under the Green Energy Development Charge (GEDC), it stated.It added that the charge has been instituted to encourage state governments to push for more renewable energy projects. 

Andhra Pradesh Govt Renegotiates Greenko Group IREP Contract, Acquires Additional Revenue Of INR 3495 Cr

The Andhra Pradesh government recently announced that it would get an additional revenue of Rs 3,495 crore from the proposed Integrated Renewable Energy Project (IREP) after it renegotiated the contract terms with the implementing firm Greenko Group.As part of the IREP, the Hyderabad headquartered Greenko Group is currently setting up a 550 megawatt (MW) wind power project, 1,000 MW of solar energy project and 1,680 MW of reverse pumping project in the state.An official statement said that “This significant financial gain is achieved owing to the efforts of the present government which has renegotiated the project terms and compensation payable by the Greenko group which is currently setting up this project in Andhra Pradesh.”As a result, the state stands to receive an additional revenue of Rs 3,495 crore from the proposed project. “It is purely additional to the already agreed proceedings of the erstwhile government,” it said.

Tata Power To Develop 120 MW Solar Project in Gujarat

Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power company, announced that Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL), the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, has received a Letter of Award  from Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL)  on 12th June 2020 to develop a 120 MW solar project in Gujarat.The energy will be supplied to GUVNL under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), valid for a period of 25 years from scheduled commercial operation date. The Company has won this capacity in a bid announced by GUVNL under Phase VIII dated February 2020. The project is required to be commissioned within 18 months from the date of execution of the PPA.Speaking on this achievement, Mr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, said, “We are proud to announce that we have been awarded  120 MW Solar Project in Gujarat,  and are thankful to the Government of Gujarat and the officials at GUVNL for this opportunity. With this award the cumulative capacity of renewables will be 3,457 MW.”