It seems things are not falling in place as planned by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO). It’s plan to call for solar energy investment has been received with tepid response. The organisation has managed to attract just 90 bids. Thus, falling short of its target of creating new solar power projects worth 1,000 MW capacity. With only 90 bids in pocket, the investment gathered will be able to meet only 500 MW capacity of solar power, just half of the target that the state government had hoped to achieve.
Only a handful of prominent players from infrastructure and retail sector took interest and helped with just 20 to 50 MW of the total generation capacity. Small players made up the majority in the bidding process and are looking to set up facilities of 1 to 2 MW capacity.
Some of the large, or prominent, players are IL&FS, Sun Edison, Lanco Solar Energy, Swiss Park Vanijya, GR Thangamaligai Jewellery and Mohan Breweries and Distilleries. The bids ranged from 10 MW to about 30 MW of power capacity. The largest bid was for a 50-MW facility by RK Biotechnologies for a project in Ramnad District.
The power company had called for bids in line with the State Government’s policy, which was released in October last year.
The Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Policy 2012 outlined plans to establish 3,000 MW of solar power generation capacity with 1,000 MW of solar power generation facilities being added each year. The policy also provides for wide ranging incentives to promote solar energy. The Government hopes to put in place at least 1000 MW of solar power generation capacity by December 2013.
