MNRE Directs REIAs to Grant Time-extension on Case-to-case Basis for Solar PV and Solar PV-wind Hybrid Power Projects

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released a notice dated May 1, 2023 on “Time Extension to Solar PV/Solar PV-Wind Hybrid Power Projects bid out on or after 10.04.2021 and under implementation Solar PV/Solar PV-Wind Hybrid Power Projects, wherein last date of bid submission was prior to 09.03.2021.

The Ministry has issued letters to the Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies (REIAs) (SECI/ NTPC/ NHPC) regarding the extension of time for completion of Solar PV and Solar PV-wind hybrid power projects. In a letter dated December 29, 2022, the REIAs were instructed to extend the Scheduled Commissioning Date (SCD) until March 31, 2024, for projects where the last date of bid submission was on or after April 10, 2021, and whose SCD (including previous time-extensions) was before March 31, 2024. Similarly, in another letter dated January 25, 2023, it was conveyed that projects for which bids were finalized before March 9, 2021, could be given time for completion until March 2024.

However, it has been clarified that these time-extensions are not general blanket extensions, and the REIAs must examine each request for an extension on a case-by-case basis. The REIAs should grant time-extensions only in cases where the developer has taken all possible measures to complete the project, but has been unable to do so due to reasons beyond their control. If the developer has taken no steps to implement the project, such projects will not qualify for an extension, and the project may face cancellation. The developer must demonstrate that they have acquired the land and placed orders for modules/BoP/BoS, etc., to be eligible for an extension.

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