New Delhi: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has granted an extension of 30 days for commissioning of renewable energy projects beyond the lockdown period.
The renewable energy implementing agencies may grant extension of time for commissioning of such projects, impacted due to coronavirus lockdown, equivalent to the period of lockdown and additional 30 days for normalisation beyond the curb period, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
This will be a blanket extension and there will be no requirement of case to case examination, as also there will be no need to ask for any evidence for extension due to lockdown, it said.
The ministry has also said that all implementing agencies of the MNRE will treat lockdown due to COVID-19, as force majeure.
Referring to the renewable energy departments (including agencies under power/ energy departments of states, but dealing in renewable energy), the ministry has asked them that theymay also treat lockdown due to COVID-19, as force majeure and may consider granting appropriate time extension on account of such lockdown.
Read more:COVID-19 Lockdown: 96% of migrant workers without ration support from government
The decision was taken after, RE developers represented to the Ministry that they may be granted a general time extension on account of lock down (due to COVID-19) and additional time required for normalization after such lockdown.
The MNRE had, earlier on March20, 2020,issued directions to SECI, NTPC and Additional Chief Secretaries / Principal Secretaries / Secretaries of Power / Energy / Renewable Energy (RE) Departments of state governments/ UTs/ Administrations, to treat delay on account of disruption of the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country, as force majeure.
It also said that they may grant suitable extension of time for projects, on account of coronavirus, based on evidences / documents produced by developers in support of their respective claims of such disruption of the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country.
MNRE extends adoption of solar equipment maker list by 6 months
MNRE has also extended the effective dates for implementation of Approved Lists of Models & Manufacturers (ALMM) for solar PV modules and solar PVs by six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The list will now be finalised by September 30 instead of the earlier date of March 31.
With the objective of building energy security for the country and ensuring reliability of solar PV cells and modules, the MNRE had issued an order for enlistment of their models and manufacturers, complying with the BIS Standards, in ALMM List-I (for solar PV modules) & ALMM L ist-II (for solar PV cells).
This mechanism proposed to have List-I specifying models and manufacturers of solar PV models and List-II specifying models and manufacturers of solar PV Cells.
(PTI and IANS Report)
