NTPC engaged as PMC by Togo for 300 MW solar projects

Togo has appointed power giant NTPC as its project management consultant (PMC) for about 300 MW of solar power projects in the West African nation, the Power Ministry said on Tuesday.

The letter of engagement of NTPC as the PMC for development about 300MW solar power projects by Togo was handed over here today by Kondi Mani, Charge d'Affaire, Embassy of Togo here, to Gurdeep Singh, CMD, NTPC, in the presence of Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh, a power ministry statement said.

Speaking on the occasion Singh said: "This (renewable) resource must be harnessed by ISA (International Solar Alliance) member countries as RE makes it possible to supply electricity to people living in far flung areas through distributed power supply model".

He underlined the importance of independent regulators, saying that under recently evolving model, prepaid smart metering helps in smooth billing and collection and the governments need not invest in the projects that developers take care.

Togo is a country in West Africa and member of the ISA. The nation has set an ambitious plan to achieve universal electricity access by 2030 with focus on capacity addition in solar power generation.

It has taken various initiatives to achieve these targets. The Country has been requesting assistance of ISA for development of solar capacity.

ISA has been taking various initiatives to assist the member countries to develop solar projects.

Presently, there are six programmes of the ISA to develop solar capacities in member countries, which include agricultural pumps, mini grids, rooftop solar, large scale grid connected projects etc.

Engagement of the NTPC by Togo for PMC, based on endorsement of ISA. NTPC had submitted a proposal to ISA requesting endorsement to member countries to give Project Management Consultancy (PMC) for implementation of solar projects.

As per the NTPC proposal, ISA member countries where solar projects are implemented through competitive bidding, the NTPC may act as a project Management Consultant (PMC).

The NTPC will carry out various activities for selection of solar project developers (SPDs) on competitive basis for setting up projects on ownership basis and enter into power purchase agreement with government-designated entities.

The PMC charges of NTPC will be recovered from the selected SPDs. The NTPC based on the feasibility, may also develop solar projects by putting own equity in countries where Feed in Tariff is in force.

Togo is the first ISA Country to avail services of NTPC.