HERC agrees to procure 800 MW hybrid power from SECI

Recently, Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) has approved the Power Sale Agreement (PSA) submitted by the Haryana Power Purchase Center (HPPC) to procure 800 MW of interstate transmission system (ISTS) wind-solar hybrid power from the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI). The power is at a levelised tariff of Rs 2.34 per kWh for 700 MW and Rs 2.35 per kWh for 100 MW capacity. HERC has also approved the trading margin of Rs 0.07 per kWh. It had directed HPPC to submit a copy of the signed PSA within a week from the signing the PSA. HPPC filed a petition to get approval for the draft PSA to procure 800 MW ISTS-connected wind-solar hybrid power. SECI floated tenders to install 1,200 MW ISTS-connected wind-solar hybrid power projects on a build, own, operate basis in India. HPPC agreed to procure 1,200 MW of wind-solar hybrid power at Rs 2.34 per kWh in February. But SECI informed HPPC that it could only supply 800 MW of power from 1,200 MW capacity since it had already consented to supply the remaining power to other buyers. It added that the applicable tariff, including the trading margin under the PSA, will be Rs 2.41 per kWh for 700 MW and Rs 2.42 per kWh for 100 MW. Subsequently, HPPC agreed to procure 800 MW of hybrid power at Rs 2.34 per kWh for 700 MW and Rs 2.35 per kWh for 100 MW, along with a trading margin of Rs 0.07 per kWh. HPPC said that the Commission had approved 1088.1 million units and 2901.8 million from non-solar and solar sources, respectively, for compliance with a renewable power purchase obligation (RPO) for FY21-22. HPPC remarked that the existing solar power capacity available with discoms through long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) was 618.8 MW, with a rooftop solar capacity of about 384 MW and 617.2 MW from non-solar renewable sources. The total installed capacity of 2,050 MW solar and 1,565 MW non-solar will be available with the Haryana discoms by FY22-23. With the upward revision of solar RPO targets beyond 10.5%, additional solar power would be required to fulfil the solar RPOs of discoms for FY22-23 and beyond. With the shortfall in RPO compliance by HPPC for the FY20-21, the cumulative shortfall in compliance of solar and non-solar RPO was 2,505 million units and 605 million, respectively, as of 31 March 2022. Last year, HERC set a levelised tariff of Rs 2.86 per kWh for a 50 MW solar project in Sirsa district of Haryana following a petition by Avaada Green HN Project Private. Image Source Also read: SECI invites bids for wind-solar hybrid plants