India’s largest power producer, NTPC, has opened a tender to acquire 1 GW of solar generation capacity from already-built projects.
Project owners can bid to have their facilities acquired by the fossil fuel business with the tender document specifying: “The offered assets can be either a special-purpose vehicle wherein the applicant intends to offer their 100% equity for sale to NTPC, or it can be a standalone asset which the applicant intends to offer for possible acquisition by NTPC.”
Solar plants should have a minimum, single-site generation capacity of 50 MW (AC) and should have been operational for at least a year by the time bids are submitted to the tender. The solar electricity generated by the facilities should have a maximum tariff of Rs5/kWh.
The deadline for bids is on September 22.
NTPC aims to have renewables account for 32 GW of its generation portfolio – almost a quarter of its fleet – by 2032. The company has around 2,298 MW of renewables capacity under construction at present.
“The company is also contemplating to increase its renewable[s] generation capacity through the acquisition of [operational] solar-based power assets located in India for a minimum capacity of 1 GW,” stated the tender document.
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NTPC’s efforts to “purchase” 1GW etc.. of Solar Facilities is commendable but adds confusion as it tries to have it’s hand and feet in “all pies” and will hence compromise all parts of the Electricity Marketplace.
1. NTPC stands for NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION and has built/purchased such Facilities only. (Nuclear… even though Thermal … is NOT part of it’s “Portfolio” … so far at least).
2. Once NTPC has its fingers in BOTH Fossil/Polluting Power Plants & Green, Clean and Renewabke Solar Power….. it will compromise BOTH that best serves NTPC interests and NOT the Nations and its consumers.
For example….. if there is “surplus power” at any time…. what will NTPC do…. cut back its Fossil or Solar Plants? (I think we have the answer already. This situation occured a few months back, due to reduced consumption due to COVID, and “orders” were issued to disconnect Solar Power Plants as Polluting Fossil Plants continued their “Pollution Business”. The GOI (Govt. of India) had to “force” the issue enforcing RE Power the “first right” to connect and deliver Power to the Grid.
2. NTPC is already “Owner” of 60,000MW of (mostly) Thermal Power Stations and, as (almost) a monopoly, has manipulate & limited Environmental Restrictions & Enforcements as it continues to freely add to the “National Pollution Soup”… that kills 2+ Million Annually in India alone. In addition possibly 100+Million suffer from the debilitating effects of Pollution.
3. Rather than “clean up” its Power Plants it is now on a “Shopping Spree” thereby Diverting & Depriving, hard needed, Funds for Cleaner and Efficient Operations OF ITS EXISTING POWER PLANTS.
4. The GOI must stop this and Establish & Fund ANOTHER Organization that Focusses, Supports & Promotes Solar Energy only and NOT compromise it.