Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Piyush Goyal presided over the signing of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for purchase of 1050 MW of wind power under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)’s first Wind Auction Scheme here today. The PPAs were signed between PTC India Ltd., the trading company, and the successful wind power developers.As per the PPAs signed, Mytrah Energy, Inox Wind and Ostro Kutch Wind Pvt. Ltd. would supply wind power of capacity 250 MW each. Further, Green Infra would supply 249.9 MW and Adani Green Energy 50 MW from their wind power projects through inter-state transmission system at a tariff of Rs. 3.46 per kWh discovered through the open and transparent competitive bidding process. PTC India has tied-up this wind power for sale to DISCOMS of a number of States. Under this, Uttar Pradesh would get 449.9 MW, Bihar 200 MW, Jharkhand 200 MW, Delhi 100 MW, Assam 50 MW and Odisha 50MW for meeting their Non-Solar Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO).For these projects Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) conducted e-reverse auction on 23rd February 2017 and issued Letter of Award (LoA) to the successful wind power developers on 5th April 2017. The wind power projects under first wind auction are likely to be commissioned by September 2018.
Congratulating all stakeholders of the sector on their coordinated efforts to drastically bring down renewable energy prices, Shri Piyush Goyal encouraged everyone to keep the interests of the end consumers as their priority. The Minister also floated the idea of doing away with the requirement of separate Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO) for different renewable energy sources and allow the States to independently decide their energy mix.Shri Goyal desired that wind energy bids should be brought out every month, though he also advised the senior officials of the Ministry to calibrate the pace of this process keeping in mind the affordability of renewable energy for common man. Industry players which are inefficient would either evolve and face competition in the sector or finally wind up. “I welcome the churning happening in the industry and look forward to healthy competition and affordable power for all through increase in scale”, the Minister added.
Shri Goyal also informed that the Ministry is working to bring robust guidelines for the wind energy bidding and is in discussions with regulators for better forecasting and scheduling of renewable energy in the grid. The Minister also informed that with every unit of renewable power generated in the country, jobs are being created to the tune of 5-7 times as compared to power generated through conventional energy sources. Speaking on the occasion, Secretary MNRE, Shri Anand Kumar informed that the Ministry has done away with the Inter State Transmission levies on transfer of Renewable Energy from windy States to non-windy ones, which would aid the latter to meet their RPOs and keep the costs of power affordable.Earlier, MNRE had sanctioned a scheme for setting up of 1000 MW inter-state transmission system (ISTS) connected Wind Power Projects on 14th June 2016 with the objective to encourage competitiveness through scaling up of project sizes and introduction of efficient and transparent e-bidding and e-auctioning processes. Other dignitaries present on the occasion were Shri A.K. Bhalla, Secretary Power, Shri Deepak Amitabh, CMD PTC India, Dr. Ashvini Kumar, MD SECI and other senior officers of the Ministry and Industry partners.