CLP Power to invest Rs 1,800 cr

CLP Power India Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CLP Holdings Ltd, would around Rs 1,800 crore to add around 200-300 MW capacity in renewable energy in the fiscal 2011-12. The company is also evaluating options to set up a solar power plant, said a senior official from CLP Power India.

The company has produced around 150 MW power, last fiscal year, through its wind power projects existing in six states, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

It is expected to set up facilities to produce another 200 MW power in wind energy in 2011-12, said Mahesh Makhija, director- business development (renewables), CLP Power India Pvt Ltd. It has a combined capacity of around 639 MW in wind power segment at present.

“We have some renewable energy projects in the pipeline, though details are yet to be finalised. The investment expected will be around Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 1,800 crore in 2011-12 for capacity expansion in renewable energy projects. We will be growing portfolio in one of the six states where we are currently present in,” said Makhija. Capacity enhancement would be through new projects and the investment would be from debt and equity, he added.

It is also looking at entering into solar energy segment in future. “It is just in the preliminary stage and we are monitoring the solar energy resources in Rajasthan,” said Makhija.

In March, 2011, the company has announced its plans to set up two new wind farms -- a 102.4 MW project at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan and a 50.4 MW project at Nallakonda, Andhra Pradesh. Sipla, the project in Rajasthan and Narmada, the Andhra Pradesh project, are expected to be commercially operational by March, 2012.

Sipla would sell power to Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL), Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JdVVNL) and Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (AVVNL) under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

Narmada farm would be developed and constructed under a comprehensive EPC arrangement and power from the project would be sold to the state utilities - Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) & Andhra Pradesh Transmission Company (APTRANSCO) under a 20-year PPA, according to company reports.

The other projects currently under construction includes 113.6 MW wind farm at Pune, Maharashtra, 26.4 MW farm at Davanagere, Karnataka and 10.4 MW farm at Belgaum, Karnataka.

CLP Power India Private Limited has been operating a 655 MW gas-based power plant in Bharuch, Gujarat, since 2002. It is constructing a 1,320 MW supercritical coal-fired power plant in Jhajjar, Haryana, expected to be commissioned by 2012. It has a portfolio of 2,614 MW that includes wind, coal and gas based generation.