Wind power project auctions likely every month, but with a tab on prices

Bids to be monitored to keep prices at affordable level

The ministry of new and renewable energy plans to auction wind power projects every month.

It will monitor the bid prices to keep these at affordable levels, said Piyush Goyal, Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy.

He was speaking at the signing of agreements for the first set of wind energy projects that were auctioned in February.

"The ministry should calibrate the pace of auction, keeping in mind the affordability of renewable energy for the common man. Industry players which are inefficient would either evolve and face competition in the sector or finally wind up. I welcome the churning happening in the industry and look forward to healthy competition and affordable power for all through increase in scale," he said.

For projects won under the first ever wind power project auction, power purchase agreements were signed for 1,050 Mw, between government-owned PTC India, a power trading entity, and the successful developers. Mytrah Energy, Inox Wind and Ostro Kutch Wind would supply wind power of 250 Mw capacity each. Green Infra would supply 249.9 Mw and Adani Green Energy 50 Mw.

The rate discovered in the auction was Rs 3.46 a unit. PTC India has committed this wind power suuply for sale to power distribution companies. Uttar Pradesh would get 449.9 M2, Bihar 200 Mw, Jharkhand 200 Mw, Delhi 100 Mw, Assam 50 Mw and Odisha 50 Mw for meeting their non-solar renewable purchase obligation (RPO).

Goyal said the RPO policy also needed a review. "States should look at doing away with the requirement of separate RPOs for different renewable energy sources and independently decide their energy mix," he said, adding, "I hope the regulator comes up with a decision soon on restricting developers from squatting on land for years without developing projects."