Power Sector News Roundup for January 13, 2025

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Global: Origis Energy secures $415 million financing for Swift Air Solar project in Texas. Virginia Transformer explores sale valued at over $6 billion. UKA places 540 MW wind turbine order for projects in Germany. EWEC initiates bidding for 1,500 MW Zarraf Solar PV project in Abu Dhabi. CEB connects 132 kV Wagawatta substation to Sri Lanka’s national grid. India: CEA proposes regional standing committees for transmission system review. SJVN to commission Unit-I of Buxar power…

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CEB connects 132 kV Wagawatta substation to Sri Lanka’s national grid

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Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has connected the newly constructed 132 kV Wagawatta substation to Sri Lanka’s national grid.  The 90 MVA substation, located on a five-acre site provided by the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BoI), houses two 45 MVA, 132/33 kV power transformers. Designed to supply electricity to the BOI-managed Wagawatta and Millaniya industrial zones, the substation will enhance power reliability for existing industries and support future industrial growth.  The transmission construction projects…

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EWEC initiates bidding for 1,500 MW Zarraf Solar PV project in Abu Dhabi

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Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has launched the bidding process for the development of the Zarraf Solar PV independent power producer (IPP) project, aiming to enhance Abu Dhabi’s solar capacity to at least 10GW by 2030.  Located in the Al Zarraf area of the Al Dhafra Region, the project will have a capacity of 1,500 MW, providing electricity to around 160,000 homes and reducing carbon emissions by up to 2.4 million tonnes annually. The…

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UKA places 540 MW wind turbine order for projects in Germany

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Umweltgerechte Kraftanlagen (UKA), a German developer of wind and solar parks, has ordered 80 turbines from Nordex Group, totalling a capacity of 540 MW for various wind energy projects across Germany.  The turbines, mainly from the Delta4000 series, will be supplied for 15 UKA projects in six German states. The bulk of the order includes 64 N175/6.X turbines, along with 13 N163/6.X and three N149/5.X turbines.  One of the most significant projects is the Herzberg-Granzin…

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Virginia Transformer explores sale valued at over $6 billion

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Virginia Transformer is exploring a potential sale that could value the company at more than $6 billion, according to Bloomberg sources. The company, led by CEO Prabhat K Jain, is one of North America’s largest US-owned power transformer manufacturers. The company is working with an adviser to assess buyer interest, although there is no guarantee that a sale will occur. Founded in the 1970s, Virginia Transformer manufactures essential products for sectors such as steel mills…

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Origis Energy secures $415 million financing for Swift Air Solar project in Texas

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US renewable energy company Origis Energy has secured a $415 million financing package for the Swift Air Solar project in Ector County, Texas.  The package includes $290 million in construction and term debt from Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking, which also acted as the hedging bank, LC issuer, green loan coordinator, and administrative agent. Advantage Capital contributed $125 million in tax equity for the project. Swift Air Solar, expected to begin commercial production by mid-2025,…

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MoEF&CC extends deadlines for thermal power plants’ SO₂ compliance again

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The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued a fourth extension for thermal power plants (TPPs) to meet sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emission standards. Category A now by December 31, 2027; Category B by December 31, 2028; and Category C by December 31, 2029. The latest notification, dated December 30, 2024, revises the deadlines for the installation of flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems. Timeline of compliance extensions: 2015: MoEF&CC set strict emission…

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MoEFCC EAC meeting deliberates on five thermal power projects

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In the latest meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), five thermal power projects were reviewed: Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant, Haryana: The proposal to expand the existing 2×300 MW coal-based units by installing a new 1×800 MW supercritical unit was recommended for fresh environmental clearance. Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Limited, Chhattisgarh: The plan to expand the existing 1340 MW capacity to…

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DRAIPL emerges as L1 bidder for BOP package at Ukai TPS

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Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon Private Limited (DRAPL) has been declared the lowest bidder (L1) for the execution of the balance of plant (BOP) packages for the 1×800 MW ultra-supercritical unit no. 7 at Ukai Thermal Power Station (TPS) in Gujarat.  The unit will be constructed on the ash dyke area of the plant, operated by Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL). The company emerged as the L1 bidder for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) order…

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Jupiter International to invest Rs 65 billion to expand solar manufacturing

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Jupiter International has announced plans to invest Rs 65 billion over the next three years to expand its solar manufacturing capabilities.  The investment will increase its production capacities to 3 GW for wafers, 9.4 GW for solar cells, and 6 GW for module assembly, enabling the company to meet rising demand for solar solutions while gaining full control over its manufacturing value chain. The company aims to build an integrated supply chain for all stages…