REIAs have been ordered to give time extensions for solar PV and solar PV-wind hybrid power projects as needed
Time Extension to Solar PV/Solar PV-Wind Hybrid Power Projects bid out on or after 10.04.2021 and under implementation Solar PV/Solar PV-Wind Hybrid Power Projects, wherein last date of bid submission was prior to 09.03.2021, was announced by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) on May 1, 2023.
Regarding the extension of time for completion of Solar PV and Solar PV-wind hybrid power projects, the Ministry has sent letters to the Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies (REIAs) (SECI/ NTPC/ NHPC). The REIAs were given the go-ahead to extend the Scheduled Commissioning Date (SCD) for projects whose SCD (including earlier time-extensions) was before March 31, 2024 in a letter dated December 29, 2022. The last date of bid submission for these projects was on or after April 10, 2021. Similar information was provided in a letter dated January 25, 2023, which said that projects whose bids were accepted before March 9, 2021, could be allowed until March 2024 to complete them.
"The REIAs (SECI, NTPC & NHPC) shall diligently examine, on case to case-basis, the requests received by them for seeking extensions on the basis of MNRE's letter No. 283/18/2020-GRID SOLAR/Pt dated 29.12.2022 and MNRE's letter No. 283/48/2020-GRID SOLAR/Pt dated 25.01.2023, and shall grant time-extensions in only such cases where the developer has diligently taken steps to complete the project, but has not been able to complete the project for reasons beyond his control," says the notice.
The notice clearly explains that that these time extensions are not merely general ones, and the REIAs must consider each request for an extension individually. Only when the developer has exhausted all reasonable efforts to complete the project but has been unable to do so due to events beyond their control should the REIAs approve time extensions. Such initiatives will not be eligible for an extension, and the project may be cancelled, if the developer has made no efforts to put the proposal into action. To be qualified for an extension, the developer must show that they have purchased the land and ordered the modules, BoP, BoS, etc.
The notice adds, "Where the developer has taken no steps to implement the project but is merely sitting on the award, such projects shall not qualify for extension; and consequence of cancellation of project will follow. This policy will apply to all cases of request for grant of extension - the developer must demonstrate that he has taken all possible measures to implement the project - but has not been able to do so for reasons beyond his control. The questions to be asked in such cases will be - Has the land been acquired? Have Order been placed for modules."