Gridco may miss solar power purchase target for 2012-13

State owned power trading firm Gridco is likely to miss its solar power purchase obligation for 2012-13.

As per the direction of Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC), Gridco was to purchase 25.75 million units of solar power during the yeat. But it has procured only 12.45 million units (mu) till December, leaving a deficit of 13.29 mu which seems unlikely to be met. Gridco has purchased 6.54 mu from solar power projects set up in the state and the balance 5.9 mu as bundled power from NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of the maharatna power firm.

Minister for science & technology Ramesh Majhi said in a written reply in the state assembly that as per OERC norms, Gridco and other obligated entities were required to meet 5.5 percent of their total power requirement from renewable sources. This included 0.15 per cent solar power.

In 2011-12, Gridco had a huge shortfall of 17.671 mu in terms of solar power purchase. In the same fiscal, all captive generating plants with the exception of J K Paper failed to purchase even a single unit of solar power.

Regarding shortfall in solar power purchase by the obligated entities, the minister said the matter has been duly reported to OERC. The commission has been requested to impose penalty as envisaged under Section 7 1(1) and (2) of Renewable and Co-Generation Purchase Obligation (RCPO)-2010.

To facilitate Gridco to buy the targeted quantity of solar energy, Majhi said, solar power projects with total envisaged output of 13 Mw have been installed and commissioned in the state. A 5 Mw solar power plant has been allotted through tariff based bidding process in Phase-I which is expected to be commissioned on June 26, 2013. Solar power of 172 Mw capacity has been projected for the state by 2015-16. Renewable energy potential in Odisha has been assessed at 11,820 Mw, with solar energy having the highest potential at 10,000 Mw among all green energy sources. The potential for solar photo-voltaic source is the highest at 8,000 Mw followed by solar thermal and wind power at 2000 Mw and 910 Mw respectively.