NLC India to Develop 450 MW Wind-Solar Hybrid Power Project

NLC India Ltd has received a Letter of Award (LoA) from NTPC Ltd for developing a 450 MW Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) connected wind-solar hybrid power project. The hybrid project will supply electricity to NTPC for a period of 25 years under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

The project will be split across two locations – 300 MW in Bikaner, Rajasthan, and 150 MW in Bhuj, Gujarat.

Commissioning Within 24 Months

According to the agreement terms, the full 450 MW wind-solar hybrid project is expected to commence power supply within 24 months from the effective date of the PPA. The order is not a related-party transaction, and there is no cross-holding between the promoter groups of NLC India and NTPC Ltd.

NLC’s Renewables Push Gains Momentum

In a related development, NLC India Renewables Ltd (NIRL), a subsidiary of NLC India, recently secured a major contract for a 500 MW / 1,000 MWh standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project. The project was awarded by Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Ltd (TNGECL) and will be executed in partnership with Bondada Engineering and Oriana Power.

NRIL, a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Coal, is rapidly expanding its renewable energy footprint. It has a goal of achieving 10 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

The PSU claims to have a total installed capacity of 1,430 MW. This comprises Ground Mounted Solar, Rooftop Solar, Floating Solar Power Plants, and Wind Power Plants. NLC is the first Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) to surpass 1 GW of solar capacity in India.

NTPC Focus on Rajasthan

NTPC has been ramping up solar capacity in Rajasthan in recent months. It recently operationalized the third and final 100 MW unit of the 320 MW Bhainsara Solar PV Project, developed in collaboration with the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited, in Jaisalmer. The company also commissioned the final 52 MW unit of the 245 MW solar capacity at Plot-3 of its Nokh Solar PV Project (3×245 MW) in Rajasthan.