Govt. extends commissioning of solar & hybrid power projects

The government has given the implementing agencies permission to postpone the commissioning date of solar PV and solar PV-wind hybrid power projects to March 31, 2024 in an effort to ease the burden on companies involved in renewable energy. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) issued a statement stating that "Solar PV power developers/associations have represented to MNRE that there is a supply chain interruption in the solar PV sector and have requested suitable reliefs to combat the same.

The Ministry has studied this matter and decided that the implementing agencies SECI/NTPC/NHPC may extend the scheduled commissioning date (SCD) of such solar PV/solar PV-wind hybrid power projects, wherein the last date of bid submission was on or after 10 April 2021 and whose SCD, including time-extensions, already granted, if any, is before 31 March 2024, and commensurately extend other associated intermediate milestones,

Projects that didn't execute a PPA (power purchase agreement) by 01 October, 2022, would not be eligible for this extension. According to the notification, the decision was made with the Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy's approval. On 13 December, 2022, MNRE Minister RK Singh informed Parliament that among the factors contributing to the country's failure to reach the target of 60 GW of wind energy by 2022 were supply chain interruptions, changes in the tariff regime, and the pandemic. He added that only 7.2 GW of rooftop solar capacity had been reached as of 31 October, 2022.

The minister listed the following as the primary causes of the lack of rooftop solar installation: "Apprehension of possible revenue loss by DISCOMs, delay in getting approvals from different agencies, delay in installation of net/gross metres by DISCOMs, lack of uniform regulations, lack of awareness among the prospective beneficiaries, etc.

By 2022, the government targets to have 175 GW of renewable energy capacity, comprising 5 GW of minor hydropower projects, 10 GW of bio-power, 100 GW of solar power, and 60 GW of wind power.