ENVIRONMENT
Govt revamps auction norms, bans reverse bidding for wind energy projects
The Centre has also disallowed reverse bidding for such projects in the future. A formal procedure has been put in place to pool all the bids to ensure that capacity addition is done across all eight windy states in the country
ENVIRONMENT
Crisis-hit Uttarakhand struck by power shortage; Centre increases state’s quota
Data accessed by Moneycontrol showed that in the first 10 days of January, the hilly state saw an average daily demand of nearly 45 million units. At the same time, the state is facing a shortfall of at least 18 million units of electricity every day.
ENVIRONMENT
Joshimath Sinking: Tunnel one km away from Joshimath and 600 metres underground, NTPC officials tell power ministry
The Jal Shakti ministry has appointed a panel which is investigating the Joshimath subsidence incident and the panel does not include any representatives from the power ministry or NTPC.
ENVIRONMENT
Joshimath sinking: Delayed by a decade, cost of Tapovan Vishnugad Hydroelectric Power Project increased by 138%
Despite two SC-appointed committee reports stating that such hydroelectric power projects could have significant environmental impact, the government in 2015 set up yet another committee which gave the go-ahead for at least six hydropower projects.
BUSINESS
Anticipating another coal crisis, power ministry asks all gencos to import 6% of their coal requirement
It is noted that the shortfall between the daily coal consumption and the daily arrival of domestic coal is ranging from 3 Lakh Tones per day to 1 Lakh Tonnes per day, the ministry said.
POWER
Mandate for imported coal-based thermal power plants to operate under Section 11 of Electricity Act no longer in effect: Ministry sources
The power ministry has started active consultations with generators and discoms to review the power demand and work a way out. However, the government is clear that if the need arises, the order may be re-issued.
BUSINESS
Green Hydrogen Mission | Sustainable financing gap of $152 billion needs to be addressed: Experts
To produce 5 MMT of green hydrogen annually, India would need 50 billion litres of deionised water and 150 billion litres of raw water. It would also require 5 lakh acres of renewable energy land
BUSINESS
Govt to waive off import duty on electrolysers to give initial push to green hydrogen: RK Singh
MNRE secretary BS Bhalla told Moneycontrol that no green hydrogen consumption mandates have been decided as of now. But he said the mission permits a mandate if decided in the future.
BUSINESS
India’s Green Hydrogen Mission: These companies have committed to transition
Even as details of how these incentives will be rolled out are yet to be announced, a host of private sector conglomerates have already made pitches to go big on green hydrogen.
POWER
CCEA approves Rs 2,614.51-crore hydropower project in Himachal
The central government has been prioritising the development of hydro projects to meet the growing demand for electricity and to offset the seasonality of wind and solar power. Hydro power is also the biggest source of income for Himachal Pradesh since it has five major rivers. It provides electricity to other states as well
POWER
Budget 2023: Power sector’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme may get a boost
The Smart Meter National Programme to gain momentum in FY2023-24 with a number of companies getting into the smart metering business. The programme had sluggish growth in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global shortage of chips and semiconductors
ECONOMY-2
Cabinet approves National Green Hydrogen Mission with initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore
Of the Rs 19,744 crore outlay for the mission, the government has earmarked Rs 17,490 crore (88.6 percent) solely for incentives on the production of green hydrogen and manufacturing of electrolysers
BUSINESS
Power plants using imported coal to be compensated for supply in times of crisis: CERC
The order is also beneficial for the CGPL Mundra Plant as it can now recover the full cost incurred for supplying power in terms of the MoP Section 11 directions, Tata Power said in a statement after the CERC order.
ENVIRONMENT
How is biomass co-firing progressing?
POWER
Maharashtra power sector employees to go on three-day strike over privatisation of distribution
Legally, the provision to have multiple discoms exists in the Electricity Act 2003. The same has also been reiterated in the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, which the Union government on August 8, 2022 referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy after members of several opposition parties opposed its introduction in the Lok Sabha on the grounds that it violated the federal principles of the constitution
BUSINESS
NuPower Renewables: What’s up with this company at the centre of Kochhar-Dhoot loan scam?
The company is operational, but could fold up any time. Its liquidity position is precarious. CareEdge Ratings has given a ‘D’ rating to its long-term bank facilities, indicating it is in default or is expected to be in default soon.
BUSINESS
Yearender 2022: When the power sector fired on all cylinders
2022 saw the ground being laid to create storage and transmission infrastructure to support a future boom in green energy, which is expected to be further accelerated by India’s Green Hydrogen Mission.
POWER
CERC retains price cap of Rs 12 per unit in power exchanges
The CERC in its order stated that the peak power demand of India has been fluctuating and reached 187 GW in October and November, 2022. But in December (the current month), it increased further and touched 200 GW on December 23.
ENVIRONMENT
Centre pushes for 'early warning system' in hills to avert avalanche, flood tragedies
The 2021 floods washed away two hydroelectric power projects — the13.2 MW Rishiganga hydroelectric power project and the Tapovan project on the Dhauliganga river, a tributary of the Alakananda. The 2013 Kedarnath flood damaged at least 10 such power project while killing at least 5,000 people
BUSINESS
Coal will remain major source of energy in foreseeable future: Pralhad Joshi
The demand for coal in India is likely to peak between 2030-2035, the union minister told the Parliament. The coal ministry further announced that it was working on a comprehensive policy to stipulate the framework for the closure of abandoned, closed and legacy mines in the country.
COMPANIES-2
Coal India clocks 400 MT production in record time
Coal production to improve further in coming months, CIL stated. The company’s target is to hit 700 MT of coal production in FY 2023.
BUSINESS
Preparing for a peak power demand of 230 GW in FY 2024: Alok Kumar, power secy
Data analysed by Moneycontrol showed that coal stocks in the country were better during and post-monsoon period in 2022 compared with the same period in 2021.
BUSINESS
Six years later, DVC to start coal production from this month
DVC, which has mostly been an electricity generator, now getting back into coal production signifies India’s renewed thrust on expanding its thermal power generation capacity to meet its growing demand.
BUSINESS
Power ministry seeks report from states on regulatory assets and their liquidity plan
According to government statistics, regulatory assets or discoms stood at Rs 88,720 crore as on June 30.
