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PGCIL, Sterlite Power, Adani qualify for initial price bids in Navinal ISTS-TBCB project

Three developers—Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), Sterlite Power, and Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL)—have qualified for the opening of initial price bids for the ISTS-TBCB scheme under “Navinal Transmission Ltd.” The bidding process, coordinated by PFC Consulting Ltd (PFCCL), began in May 2024 and will soon move to the e-reverse auction (e-RA) phase. The project, officially termed the “Network expansion scheme in Navinal (Mundra) area of Gujarat for drawl of power in the…

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Power & Instrumentation secures Rs 2.841 billion contracts for electrification under Mukhyamantri Ujjawal Jharkhand Yojana

Power & Instrumentation (Gujarat) Limited, a key player in the electrical contracting and equipment industry, has been awarded contracts worth Rs 2.841 billion under the Mukhyamantri Ujjawal Jharkhand Yojana (MUJY). The contracts involve electrifying un-electrified and partially electrified habitations and households in Sahibganj District, Jharkhand. The contracts are divided into two parts: Contract Part I: Valued at Rs 2.292 billion, this contract covers the loading, transportation, installation, and commissioning of electrification infrastructure in rural habitations…

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CyanConnode reaches 2 million RF communication endpoints milestone in India

CyanConnode Pvt Ltd, a leading provider of narrowband radio frequency (RF) smart mesh networks, has announced the successful deployment of over 2 million RF communication endpoints, making it the first smart metering communications provider in India to achieve this milestone. The company’s communication network has been instrumental in the success of smart metering projects across ten states: Assam, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.  In recognition of…

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Reliance to commission first solar giga-factory by FY25

Reliance Industries Ltd plans to commission its first solar giga-factory by the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year as part of its goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035. The factory will begin with 20 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing and scale up in phases through 2026. Located in Jamnagar, Gujarat, the facility will produce PV modules, cells, wafers, ingots, polysilicon, and glass at a single site. Reliance is also targeting sodium-ion…

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Sterlite Power secures Rs 15 billion in orders for Q1 FY25

Sterlite Power announced it secured orders worth Rs 15 billion across its Global Products and Services (GPS) business in Q1 FY25. These new orders, both domestic and international, add to the company’s total order book, which stood at over Rs 65.6 billion at the beginning of the financial year. Sterlite Power secured major orders for high-performance conductors and Optical Ground Wire (OPGW), especially for Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) transmission projects. This has helped maintain…

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KEI Industries invests Rs 1.45 billion in Q1 FY25 for plant expansions

KEI Industries undertook capital expenditure (capex) of approximately Rs 1.45 billion in the first quarter of FY25, focusing mainly on a new greenfield plant in Sanand, Gujarat. The company spent Rs 760 million on the Sanand plant, while the remaining Rs 690 million was allocated to brownfield expansions across other facilities, including Chinchpada (Rs 240 million), Bhiwadi (Rs 210 million), and Pathredi (Rs 140 million). The Chinchpada plant in Silvassa will see increased wire and…

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Replus Engitech, Hero Future sign 250MWh BESS contract 

Replus Engitech Private Limited has partnered with Hero Future Energies to sign a turnkey contract for 250MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects. The projects, set for Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, will enhance the integration of solar and wind energy systems over the next 18 months. Replus has a successful history of 28MWh BESS projects and ongoing developments in Congo and Saudi Arabia.

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NCT recommends major ISTS schemes worth over Rs 220 billion

In its latest meeting, the National Committee on Transmission (NCT) recommended interstate transmission system (ISTS) schemes worth over Rs 220 billion to the Union power ministry for final clearance. A total of ten ISTS schemes, costing Rs 227.3 billion, were discussed. Of these, seven schemes (costing Rs 93.99 billion) will follow the tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) mode, while three schemes (costing INR 133.38 billion) will use the regulated tariff mechanism (RTM). TBCB Schemes Each of…

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Strengthening Renewable Purchase Obligations

The Electricity Act of 2003 mandates State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) to set minimum renewable energy (RE) shares for states, known as Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs), which apply to distribution companies (DISCOMs) and other obligated entities. It binds entities to purchase a certain percentage of their total electricity consumption from RE sources. Initially, RPOs were divided into solar and non-solar categories. In 2019, hydro power obligations (HPO) were introduced, and in 2022, RPOs were categorized…

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Hydropower: Achieving Global Renewable Energy Targets

At the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai, global governments pledged to triple renewable generation capacity from 3.8 TW in 2022 to 11.2 TW by 2030. This increase in variable renewables poses grid security and flexibility challenges. Hydropower, among low-carbon options, is the most versatile and cost-effective solution for grid stability. Its key strengths are flexibility and resilience, complementing variable renewables with services ranging…