Adani subsidaries blame Tantransco’s failure for delay in commissioning of solar plant

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has reversed its 2016 order directing the Adani Renewable Energy subsidiaries — Kamuthi Solar Power Ltd (KSPL) and Ramnad Renewable Energy Ltd (RREL) — to file separate dispute resolution petitions instead of miscellaneous petition seeking a tariff of Rs 7.01 per unit for its solar plant in Ramanathapuram district.

Citing the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) order last year, TNERC has decided to hear the separate miscellaneous petitions filed by the 216 MW KSPL and 72 MW RREL seeking a tariff of Rs 7.01 per unit as both the projects were interconnected to grid after the March 31, 2016 due to non-readiness of interconnectivity at the Tantransco’s end. “Having gone through the order of APTEL, we find that the APTEL has observed clearly in para xxi of its findings that it would be appropriate to treat the instant petition as Miscellaneous Petition and hence we are of the considered view that it is not necessary to further go into the issue as the issue has attained finality before APTEL, insofar as the classification of this petition is concerned,” TNERC order said.

It directed the registry to treat the petition dated July 27, 2016 filed by the petitioner as miscellaneous petition and collect the applicable fees and number the case for proceeding further.

The AGETL, an Adani Group Company, had signed a MoU with Tangedco for setting up a 648 mw solar project in Kamuthi in Ramanathapuram district.

As per the power purchase agreement with Tangedco, the solar power generated by the plants will be paid a levelised tariff of Rs 7.01 per unit if it was commissioned before March 31, 2016. Beyond which it will get a new tariff of Rs 5.10 per unit. The group set up the plant through five subsidiaries — 216 mw AGETL, 216 MW KSPL, 72 mw Kamuthi Renewable Energy Ltd (KREL), 72 mw Ramnad Solar Power Ltd (RSPL) and 72 mw RREL.

However, the group was able to commission only the 216 mw AGETL, 72 mw RSPL and 25 mw of 72 mw KREL before March 31, 2016 to get the tariff of Rs 7.01 per unit. KSPL claimed that the solar plant was ready for commissioning on March 15, 2016 while RREL was ready for commissioning on March 22, 2016. Both subsidiaries blamed the Tantransco’s failure to commission 110 KV substation at Kamuthi on time for the delay in the commissioning of the solar plant that led to payment of lower tariff of Rs 5.10 per unit.