In a bid to give boost to solar power in New Delhi, state discom MSEDL has decided to buy 2,000 MW for next 25 years.
According to ETEnergyworld report, this power will come from new solar plants. At present, it buys 850 MW against the peak demand of about 20,000 MW. When additional solar power starts flowing in the state grid MSEDCL will meet more than its 10 percent. requirement from solar.
Meanwhile, state energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has announced all farm pumps would run on solar power by 2025. This would bring down cross subsidy in power tariff and also rates for all category of consumers including industrial and commercial. High industrial tariff in the state is a big disadvantage for units competing with their counterparts in other states where power rates are lower. Minimum project capacity is 5 MW. Some bidders wanted this to be increased to 30 MW but the request was turned down. Another 1,000 MW will be purchased through distributed generation.
These plants will have to be set up in rural areas. They will be directly connected to MSEDCL distribution substations bypassing Mahatransco’s network. This will reduce transmission losses.
The minimum capacity utilization factor (CUF) for all solar plants will be 19 percent. The generators will have to maintain CUF in the range of 10 percent on either side during the 25 years of PPA. If the operator generates less than lower range of stipulated CUF, he will have to pay compensation at the rate mentioned in PPA.
