NTPC to manage 300 MW solar power projects in Togo
29 Jan 2020
State-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has been awarded the project management consultancy (PMC) for development of about 300 MW solar power projects by Togo. Kondi Mani, Charge d’ Affaire, Embassy of Togo in New Delhi on Tuesday handed over the letter of engagement to Gurdeep Singh, CMD (NTPC) on Tuesday.
As per the proposal, NTPC may act as a project management consultant (PMC). NTPC will carry out various activities for selection of solar project developers (SPDs) on competitive basis for setting up projects on ownership basis and enter into power purchase agreement with government-designated entities.
The scope of PMC includes presentations to the concerned ministries and other stakeholders in ISA countries for structuring of projects, assistance to bring out enabling policy and regulatory framework for competitive procurement of solar power, bid process management for selection of project developers on competitive basis, structuring PPA, roof/ land leasing agreements etc. The PMC charges of NTPC will be recovered from the selected SPDs. NTPC, based on the feasibility, may also develop solar projects by putting own equity in countries where feed in tariff is in force.
The proposal of NTPC, after review by ISA Advisory Committee, was put on Swiss challenge for 28 days on ISA website. Subsequently, the proposal was submitted to ISA finance committee. Based on the concurrence of the finance committee, the proposal has been cleared in second ISA assembly.
Based on this, a letter of endorsement was given to NTPC for extending PMC services and circulated to all the National Focal Points (NFPs) of ISA member countries. There will not be any direct cost implications to the member countries. However, the engagement of NTPC for PMC is the sole discretion of a member country.
The National Focal Point (NFP) of Togo, based on the endorsement of ISA, has sent a communication to DG ISA for engaging NTPC for the PMC services for development of solar PV projects/parks on 70 hectares of identified land in Dapaong (Dalwak Region: Capacity More than 33 MW) and on 500 hectares of identified land in Mango (Savanes Region: Capacity About 250 MW). Togo is the first ISA country to avail the services of NTPC.
Speaking on the occasion, R K Singh, minister of power and renewable energy said development of RE projects offer cheaper power, adding that ISA member countries should harness the resource as RE makes it possible to supply electricity to people living in far-flung areas through distributed power supply model.
Togo, a West African country, is a member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The country has set an ambitious plan to achieve universal electricity access by 2030 with focus on capacity addition in solar power generation. The country has taken various initiatives to achieve these targets.
ISA has taken various initiatives to assist the member countries to develop solar projects. At present, there are 6 ISA programmes to develop solar capacities in member countries These include setting up of agricultural pumps, mini grids, rooftop solar, large scale grid connected projects etc. The programme on large scale grid connected projects on solar park model was approved at the second assembly held on 30 October 2019. Implementation of ISA programmes are member driven and ISA secretariat facilitates the implementation.
NTPC Limited is a power sector leader in India, owning an installed generating capacity of more than 58,000 MW, which include 870 MW of solar projects and 1,062 MW under development. Apart from development of own solar projects, the company has been the nodal agency for development of more than 4000 MW of solar projects on IPP model.