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Pakistan’s consumer-led solar boom creates new pressures on national grid

Pakistan has emerged as the world’s largest importer of solar panels, driven by a grassroots energy shift rather than top-down policy. As reported by The Print, the growth has been largely powered by retail consumers and low-cost Chinese imports, even as the country struggles with an IMF-led economic recovery and mounting power sector debt. In 2024 alone, Pakistan imported 17 GW of solar panels, more than double the volume in 2023. Chinese firms such as…

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China begins construction of mega-dam on Brahmaputra River

China has begun construction on a massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in southeastern Tibet, known downstream as the Brahmaputra in India. The project, which broke ground on July 19, 2025, is expected to be one of the largest hydroelectric undertakings globally, with an estimated investment of 1.2 trillion yuan (approximately $167.1 billion), according to Xinhua. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the inauguration ceremony in Nyingchi, Tibet. The project involves the construction of…

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Gorbea Solar Project inaugurated in Rajasthan

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, on 19 July, inaugurated the 435 MW Gorbea Solar Power Project in Rajasthan. Developed by Zelestra India, the project was completed in under eight months. Spread across 1,250 acres, the Gorbea facility is backed by a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). It is expected to generate 755 GWh of electricity annually and help avoid approximately 705,000 tonnes of…

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NTPC halts FGD installations at five power plants

NTPC Limited has suspended the installation of flue-gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems at five of its under-construction thermal power plants, following a new notification from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued on July 11, 2025. The affected projects, Lara-II, Singrauli-III, Sipat-III, Darlipalli-II, and Telangana-II, have a combined capacity of over 7 GW. As reported by The Economic Times, the revised emission norms now exempt many coal- and lignite-based thermal power plants from…

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Reliance to launch clean energy gigafactories in Jamnagar within 18 months

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has announced that its clean energy gigafactories in Jamnagar, Gujarat, will become fully operational over the next four to six quarters, according to Bloomberg. These facilities are central to the company’s $10 billion renewable energy and green hydrogen strategy, first unveiled in 2021. The Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex spans 5,000 acres and is located near Reliance’s oil refinery, the world’s largest. Once complete, the complex will manufacture solar photovoltaic…

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Tata Power and ACME win NHPC-backed BESS projects

India’s battery storage sector saw a major boost as Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) and ACME Solar Holdings secured Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreements (BESPAs) with NHPC Limited for projects in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. As per exchange filings on 18 July 2025, Tata Power’s subsidiary TPREL has won a contract to set up a 30 MW / 120 MWh standalone battery energy storage system (BESS) at KSEB’s substation in Mulleria, Kasaragod, Kerala….

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Power Mech secures Rs 551 crore O&M contracts for two thermal plants

Power Mech Projects Limited has announced two new operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts worth a total of Rs 551.35 crores for thermal power projects in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, according to a filing with stock exchanges. The first order, valued at Rs 498.39 crores (excluding taxes and GST), has been awarded by SJVN Thermal Private Limited. It covers commissioning support and comprehensive O&M for the 2×660 MW Buxar Thermal Power Project in Chausa, Bihar. The…

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India accelerates J&K hydropower projects after IWT suspension

India has fast-tracked four major hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir following its suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan. The 1,000 MW Pakal Dul, 624 MW Kiru, 540 MW Kwar, and 850 MW Ratle projects, located on the Chenab river, are now slated for earlier commissioning between May 2026 and July 2028. Of these, the Ratle project is expected to be the first to come online in May 2026.   The development comes…

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Allahabad High Court dismisses PIL against discom privatisation in Uttar Pradesh

The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the proposed privatisation of two electricity distribution companies in Uttar Pradesh. As reported by news agencies, the court ruled that the petition was based on assumptions and lacked supporting evidence. The PIL, filed by Vijay Pratap Singh, opposed the privatisation of Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (DVVNL) and Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (PVVNL). The petitioner cited internal communications from Uttar Pradesh Power…

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Delhi to fast-track pollution clearances and power upgrades

Starting August 2025, the Delhi government will automatically approve Consent to Operate (CTO) applications from Green Category industries if no decision is made within 20 days. This replaces the earlier 120-day review period. The reform covers over 65 non-polluting industry types, including cold storage, furniture units, soap and detergent makers, packaging units, toy assembly, optical goods, and ayurvedic product manufacturing without boilers. No further follow-ups or paperwork will be needed if approvals are delayed. The…