India added 5,400 MW wind power capacity in last fiscal

India added over 5,400 MW of wind energy generation capacity during 2016-17 -- bettering its target of 4,000 MW, an official said on Sunday.

"The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a record in wind power generation capacity by adding over 5,400 MW in 2016-17 against a target of 4,000 MW," a ministry statement here said.

This surpassed the previous higher capacity addition of 3,423 MW in 2015-16, it added.

The leading states in wind power generation capacity addition during 2016-17 are Andhra Pradesh (2,190 MW), Gujarat (1,275 MW) and Karnataka (882 MW).

According to the ministry, tentative returns showed that Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana and Kerala reported 357 MW, 288 MW, 262 MW, 118 MW, 23 MW and 8 MW wind power capacity addition respectively during 2016-17.

During the last financial year ended March 31, the MNRE took various policy initiatives in the wind energy sector, including introduction of bidding, re-powering policy, draft wind-solar hybrid policy and new guidelines for development of wind power projects, the statement added.

Meanwhile, India has become a net exporter of electricity for the first time during the 11 months (April-February) period, the government said earlier this week.

"As per the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the designated authority of government of India for cross-border trade of electricity, it is the first time India has turned around from a net importer of electricity to net exporter," a Power Ministry statement said here.

"During the 2016-17 (April 2016 to February 2017), India has exported around 5,798 million units (MU) to Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar, which is 213 MU more than the import of around 5,585 MU from Bhutan," it said.

--IANS

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