Dec 30 2010
Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam (GUVNL), the Gujarat state run Power company in India engaged in power production, dispersion and transmission, has entered into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) valued around 537 MW with around 54 solar power producing companies. Some time back the company had contracted PPAs with about 24 companies for 396.5 MW.
Some of the big names that have entered into PPAs for 25 MW include Ujjwala Energy, TATA Power, Ganges Entertainment, Monnet Ispat Solar Energy, Alex Astral and GMR Gujarat. The companies such as Kiran Energy, and Hira Co India have signed for 20 MW. Along with the private companies, the state owned public sector undertakings such as Gujarat Power Corporation, Gujarat Industries Power Company and Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation have agreed for 5 MW each. The PPAs were signed under the second phase of allotment worth 567 MW. In the first phase the government had sanctioned around 716 MW power generation capacity to 34 international and national companies.
The government has initiated efforts to achieve 1,000 MW solar installations by the end of the year 2012 and 3,000 MW in the subsequent five years. The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Authority (GERC) has fixed Rs.15/- per unit of power produced from solar PV panels and Rs.11/- for solar thermal power generation for the initial 12 years of power production.