Haryana wind power projects delayed

The Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) will have to wait at least another year to get the final project report on the wind energy-based power projects, worth about Rs 2,300 crore.

India's two leading of wind energy players, Suzlon and Enercon, entered into MoUs with the HAREDA last year for the generation of 450 Mw of wind power.

The players are in the process of putting windmarks at the identified locations to monitor the viability of the projects.

Although a HAREDA report says that the four locations identified at Morni, Mewat, Mahendergarh and Gurgaon have the requisite velocity of 15-22 km per hour at least seven months a year, the investors want to procure first-hand information on the basis of more scientific methods by their own teams before taking any final decisions on investments.

Representatives of the two companies today met officials in the state energy regulatory commission to propose a viable tariff.

Since the investment required is substantial (it costs about Rs 9 crore to generate 1.5 Mw of wind power), the investors want a minimum tariff of Rs 4.50 per unit.

Although the state government has given many incentives to independent power producers, including exemption from electricity duty, local area development tax, wheeling and banking facilities etc, HAREDA might have to go a step further to attract corporates to set up wind power projects, as power generation through wind energy entails no cost to the environment.

Haryana is a power deficit state with no natural resource for generation of power.