KSERC Allows Cochin Port Authority To Re-Tender For 1.5 MWp Floating Solar

• The Commission allowed Grid Connection that will be provided by the KSEBL where excess solar energy will certainly be marketed throughout the low demand period.
• The Commission has actually allowed the 25 Year-PPA by the Port Authority.

The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) has actually allowed Cochin Port Authority to re-tender for the development of 1.5 MWp Grid Connected Floating Solar PV plant at Willingdon Island of the Port Authority under RESCO Model (BOOT) for 25 years. The court additionally allowed PPA for the 1.5 MWp Floating Solar and also grid-connection of the solar plant.

Issue At Hand

Formerly, KSERC had actually rejected the previous request of Cochin Port Authority that looked for approval for the acquisition of 1.5 MWp Grid Connected Floating Solar PV from Suryam International Limited, Odisha. The court had actually reasoned that it was rejected as a result of non- compliance of the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003 and also various other pertinent Guidelines.

Also, according to the KSERC Regulations, 2022, Cochin Port Authority was also needed to increase the renewable energy generation by 19% of its consumption by the end of 2022-23. The obsession is additionally suggested to sustain the Central Government's bid to achieve 500GW of renewable energy by 2030.

The Authority was additionally granted permission for grid connection with KSEBL for exporting the excess generation throughout low demand according to the arrangements of KSERC (Renewable Energy as well as Internet Metering) Regulations, 2020.

The grid connection was objected to by respondent Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEBL) that Cochin Port Authority desired in order to sell excess power. KSEBL was likewise versus the installation of BESS as part of the project.

Court Observation and Decision

KSERC allowed Cochin Port Authority to require the bids for the floating solar center for 1.5 MWp. While doing so, KSERC while appropriately taking into consideration the development of solar panel technology as well as shade free areas, approved the CUF of 28% which is already achieved by the NTPC as well as can be easily achieved at the backwaters of Willingdon Island also.

The Commission additionally made a decision to accept the upper ceiling of 'Capital Cost' of the project at 6.255 crores for the 1.5 MWp floating solar projects of the petitioner at W Island.

KSERC stated that Cochin Port Authority may fix the Earnest Money Deposit at 2% of the approximated cost because the bidding process guidelines. This is to prevent deceptive and also financially unable prospective buyers from joining the bid.

The efficiency financial institution assurance to be supplied by the effective prospective buyer has actually been limited to 4% of the capital cost.

The Commission declined to grant permission for the development of BESS. It stated that the here and now cost of storage systems does not make it financially feasible to incorporate it with tiny renewable energy systems. But it allowed Cochin Port Authority to export the surplus power during at any time block to the KSEBL grid.

The Floating Solar PV Project

The Cochin Port Authority will be establishing 1.5 MWp Grid Connected Floating Solar PV Projects at the waterbody near its Walkway Avenue between Robot Junction and Kannangatt Bridge at W.Island.

As of today, the total installed solar energy capacity of Authority as well as its consumers currently stand at 250 kWP and also 215 kWP specifically at W.Island. Increasingly more customers are likewise likely to make an application for Grid Connected Solar Plants in W.Island. The overall mounted capacity of Solar Plant at the W.Island may surpass 2 MWp with the appointing of 1.5 MWp Solar PV plant.