Tariffs of Rs 2.65/kWh and Rs 3.46/kWh Approved for 2 GW of Wind Projects

CERC has approved tariffs proposed by SECI and PTC India for 2 GW of wind power projects. The petitioners had quoted a tariff of Rs 2.65/kWh & Rs 3.46/kWh.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) in its latest notification approved the tariffs proposed by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and PTC India Limited for 2 GW of wind power projects. The two petitioners had quoted a tariff rate of Rs 2.65/kWh and Rs 3.46/kWh, respectively.

The order was issued after two separate petitions filed by SECI and PTC India Limited requested the commission to approve the amount quoted by them for the wind projects (1 GW each). The two firms had filed separate petitions before the CERC seeking its approval for the adoption of tariffs for 1000 MW (each) of wind power projects connected to the inter-state transmission system (ISTS).

In the petition, SECI requested the commission for the approval of Rs 2.65/kWh, along with a trading margin of Rs 0.07/kWh for 1,000 MW of projects. SECI had also submitted that some of these projects have already been commissioned. As the DISCOMs and wind developers are spread over multiple states, the Discoms had approached their respective state electricity regulatory commissions for the approval of the procurement process and the adoption of the tariff.

PTC, which was appointed as the trading licensee agency by SECI, also presented a petition to approve a pooled tariff rate of Rs 3.46/kWh which included a similar trading margin of Rs 0.07/ kWh for another 1,000 MW of wind projects.

According to the petitioners, the power generated from these projects would also help the buying utilities and distribution companies in meeting their renewable energy purchase obligation (RPO) requirements.

The CERC observed that the selection of the successful bidders and the tariff of the projects had been carried out by SECI in accordance with the guidelines issued by the MNRE. The commission added that there was no deviation from the guidelines in the Request for Selection (RfS) documents.

In its order, the commission approved the tariffs for the projects. Furthermore, the commission stated that the CERC could not approve the trading margin for long-term transactions since the new trading margin regulations do not provide the provisions for long-term transactions, and it should be done on a mutually agreed basis. Therefore, the trading margin mutually agreed by the two parties will apply to the projects.

For more information click here (SECI order), or here (PTC India Order)