Reliance Power on track to commission 100 MW solar project in Rajasthan
29 Nov 2013
Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Power today said it was on track to commission a 100 MW solar project in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan by March next year.
The company said in a statement, "Pre commissioning activities have commenced (at the 100 mega-watt) concentrated solar power (CSP) project in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district.''
The project, which is the largest CSP project in the world is based on compact linear fresnel reflector (CLFR) technology.
The 100 MW CSP plant which is under construction at an investment of Rs2,100 crore, is located adjacent to the 40 MW solar photovoltaic project commissioned by the company last year.
According to the statement the project was all set for commissioning by March 2014.
The project was bagged by Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Power, in an international competitive bidding in December 2010.
The bidding for the CSP project was conducted by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd (a subsidiary of NTPC).
The project, which represents the largest investment by any private sector entity in CSP Technology in India is financed through debt from multilateral agencies like Asian Development Bank (ADB), Export Import Bank of the US, Financerings Maatschappu Voor Ontwikkelingslanden NV (FMO), Netherlands and Axis Bank.
The CLFR Technology for the project has been provided by Areva Solar of France.
The technology is said to be simple in design, has minimal environmental spill, lesser land requirement and is more efficient than other solar thermal technologies available.
Reliance Power, part of the Reliance ADAG Group and India's leading private sector power generation company, has the largest portfolio of power projects in the private sector, based on coal, gas, hydro and renewable energy.
The company has the largest captive coal reserves in the private sector, estimated at over 2 billion tonnes and is also developing coal mines in Indonesia and coal bed methane blocks in India.