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ISA to be Implementing Agency for ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ Initiative
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he Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced that regarding its Request for Proposals (RfP) for developing a Long Term Vision, Implementation Plan, Road Map and Institutional Framework for implementing the ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ (OSOWOG) initiative, it has now been decided that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) will be the implementing agency for carrying out all the activities of OSOWOG initiative. Under its role as the implementing agency, ISA will now handle the bid process management and all subsequent activities of the initiative. The RfP for the project was first issued by MNRE on May 26, 2020. Subsequently, a pre-bid meeting was held on June 22, 2020, through video conferencing, and around 30 bidders participated in the meeting. Various queries had been received from interested bidders. However, later the RFP was put on hold till finalisation of certain administrative arrangements. In its notification, the ministry had stated that “it has been
decided by competent authority too put on hold the RfP, for developing a long term vision, implementation plan road map, and institutional framework for implementing the One Sun One World One Grid initiative, on hold until further notice.” Now, the ISA will issue appropriate
corrigendum to the RFP based upon prebid queries and invite the final bids. India’s motive behind the OSOWOG initiative is to take another leap towards building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources that are seamlessly shared for mutual benefits and global sustainability.
India has Attained “One Nation, One Grid, One Frequency”: Nandan Sahai
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anjiv Nandan Sahai, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Power, has recently said that India has already attained the status of “One Nation, One Grid, One Frequency”, and that there are now no constraints in inter-regional transfer of power. Sahai, while deliberating on the Amendments to the Electricity Acts said that the Consumer/Prosumer is at the heart of renewable energy power generation. Towards this end, amendments are being considered to the Electricity legislations which will recognise the right of the
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consumer to get good quality power at reasonable rates. For the renewable energy sector, the “prosumers” will be allowed to set up roof-top solar
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units up to their sanctioned loads. Speaking at a webinar organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on ‘Innovations in Renewable Energy’, the Powermin Secretary also mentioned how the Long-term PPAs lie at the heart of all renewable energy contracts. “Of late the Discoms, which are themselves financially stressed, look for escape routes when they see the renewable energy prices falling every day.” He further informed that a ‘Liquidity Scheme for the Power Sector’ with an outlay of
Rs 1,20,000 crore has been started under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Scheme to prevent any crisis of confidence in this sector. For this, an amount of Rs 68,000 crore has been sanctioned and out of this, Rs 25,000 crore has already been disbursed. Further during the Webinar, J. N. Swain, IAS, MD, SECI appealed to NBFCs to come forward and fund RE projects. Pension funds can also contribute to long term financing. It’s only a matter of time that PPAs are signed as soon as PSAs are finalised.
