Gujarat govt bought solar power at 2010 PPA rates of Rs 9.13-Rs 15
Data released by the Gujarat government shows that it bought over 6,200 million units of solar power priced between Rs 9.13 and Rs 15 per unit from private power producers over the last five years. This is despite the fact that developers were ready to sell solar power as low as Rs 1.99 per unit.
The data released by the Gujarat government in the recently concluded budget session of the state legislature shows that between April 2015 and March 2020, Gujarat bought solar power from a total of 61 private players under the Solar Power Policy 2009. Of these private entities, 38 sold power to Gujarat at Rs 15 per unit, while the remaining 23 players sold at anywhere between Rs 9.13 and Rs 13.59 per unit.
Apart from the 6,200 million solar power units, the state government bought an additional 573 million units of power from the same 61 private players from April to September 2020, the government stated.
Gujarat government buys power from different entities through Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL). GUVNL officials said the state government is paying Rs 15 per unit as per agreed rates in the Power Purchase Agreements of 2010-11.
During the years 2015-20, the maximum solar power has been bought from Adani Power Ltd, which sold 328 million units at Rs 15 per unit. There was a 10.2% rise in the quantity of power bought from the Adani Group.
The government bought more than 200 million units of power at Rs 15 per unit rate from each of the private entities, including 210 million units from Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited, 200 million units from GMR Gujarat Solar Ltd, 208 million units from Lorox Bio Energy Ltd, 209 million units from Roha Dyechem Pvt Ltd, and 207 million units from Alex Astral Power Pvt Ltd.
Only 14 million units were purchased from Texas Infrastructure and Project Pvt Ltd, which sold at Rs 9.13 per unit, the cheapest power among the 61 players.
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