The scheme for North Eastern states will be implemented through Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), as per the 5 GW VGF Scheme guidelines issued by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on March 14, 2016. It envisages to set up 1 GW solar photovoltaic power projects on build-own-operate basis by solar power developers in North Eastern States including Sikkim, and will be operative during financial year 2018-19.
Main features
SECI would conduct bidding with tariff capped at Rs 3.0 per unit, and a maximum VGF of Rs 1 crore per MW. Minimum size of the project will be 5 MW due to land constraint in North Eastern states. Solar projects must be commissioned within 21 months from the date of signing of power purchase agreements (PPAs).
The funds for this proposal may be disbursed by re-appropriation. VGF will not be given to any private party for private consumption.
All other terms and conditions of the 5 GW VGF Scheme would remain the same.
The subset will be effective from the date of issue of administrative approval along with operational guidelines of 5000 MW VGF Scheme dated March 14, 2016.
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NE has huge hydro potential. Hydel Energy arm of MoP takes pride in announcing that NE in India houses the world’s largest Hydel Power Plant. The potential when harnessed can run turbines all through the year. Government spared no effort and invested money in crores on hydel power generation in NE. Yet for obvious reasons, none of the projects put on ground could be completed without cost and time escalation. Government incurs additional expenditure in setting up committees to study and analyse reasons and suggest ways to make pending projects functional.
At a time when economically and financially viable projects with sufficient natural resource for green energy suffer with long gestation and overruns, it is beyond comprehension why a solar project with viability gap funding should be opted for. When Hydel projects constructed in remote locations with not so easy access become easy target for militants and extremists, how will a solar project with fragile materials and equipment that is bound to come up in a vast stretch of land within easy access be prevented from the wrath of locals whose tempers sway every moment through inflamed passions.
It is high time government realizes that what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular.