Offshore Wind Projects Will Need Nod From 6 Ministries, Say Govt Rules

Offshore Wind Projects Will Need Nod From 6 Ministries, Say Govt Rules

The Ministry of External Affairs has notified the new rules to regulate the leasing mechanism for offshore wind projects in India. The new rules are called Offshore Wind Energy Lease Rules, 2023. The new rules of the ministry said that no person or entity should install offshore wind energy projects or offshore transmission projects without a lease granted under these rules.

These rules from the ministry have mandated the developers of offshore wind projects in India to get approvals from six ministries. These included-Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Department of Space and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

The new rules meanwhile also granted power to the developers to restrict certain activities on the control areas of the offshore wind developers in India. The rules also give the developers powers to carry our activities related to offshore wind energy and offshore wind transmission including studies, surveys for fulfilling its obligations under the lease.

“Every lessee shall have the right to restrict-the entry into the Designated Lease Areas for such period as notified by the Central Government for the purpose of construction or operation and maintenance of the offshore wind farm, the navigation of boats, ferries and ships obstructing the operation of the project site; movement within fifty meters distance from the wind turbine foundation and five hundred meters distance from the substation,” the ruled read.

The rules also allowed the developers the right to restrict anchoring or fixed fishing gears within the designated lease area and also ban activities such as scuba diving, windsurfing, kitting and other activities. 

“Provided that activities such as fishing for the purpose of livelihood and other activities that may co-exist with the offshore wind energy farm in the interest of the common public shall be permissible, if they do not affect the normal working of the offshore wind energy farm,” the rules said. 

The new rules meanwhile said that the lessee should not have any right for “exploration and extraction of minerals, materials and other resources from the sea bed, subsoil, super adjacent waters” and any other activities except offshore wind power generation related works.

The new rules from the ministry also said that the lease would be valid for a period of three years for resource management, related survey, extendable for two more years. For construction and operations of these offshore wind projects, the ministry has notified the time period of 35 years. 

“The area covered under a Lease, shall ordinarily be twenty-five square kilometres to five hundred square kilometres and the same may vary depending on the size of the project,” the ministry rules said.