Ministry encourages project scaling up for competitive tariff rates.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched a scheme for another round of wind auction for 1,000 MW capacity wind power, following up on the sale of similar capacity to power distributors.

On 4 May 2017, MNRE saw the signing of Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) for purchase of 1,000 MW wind power under its first wind auction between PTC India, the trading company, and Discoms of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, Odisha and Assam.

As per MoAs the Discoms of UP to buy 449.9 MW, Bihar- 200 MW, Jharkhand – 200 MW, Delhi – 100 MW, Assam – 50 MW and Odisha – 50MW of wind power for meeting their non-solar RPO.

The Letter of Award (LoA) to the successful wind power developers under the first wind auction scheme have been issued by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) on 5 April 2017. These projects are to be commissioned within 18 months from the date of issue of LoA.

This was the first time such auction process was done in the country for wind power through e-reverse auction. Its success is the record low tariffs of Rs. 3.46 per kWh was obtained.

The second 1,000 MW scheme is open for all obligated entities purchasing wind power.

The SECI will sign Power Purchase Agreements with selected wind developers and back-to-back Power Sale Agreements with buying utilities.

The Ministry encourages competitiveness through scaling up of project sizes and introduction of efficient and transparent e-bidding and e-auctioning processes. fii-news.com