Reliance's 100-MW CSP park in India starts operations

Nov 11, 2014 - Indian utility Reliance Power Ltd (BOM:532939) said on Tuesday that its 100-MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the state of Rajasthan has commenced commercial operations.

Built for an estimated cost of about INR 21 billion (USD 341m/EUR 275m), the Dhursar power station represents the largest investment made by any private sector entity in an Indian CSP project, Reliance said. It is also the world’s largest plant using compact linear fresnel reflector (CLFS) technology, supplied by the US solar arm of French nuclear power company Areva SA (EPA:AREVA).

A unit of Reliance was awarded the project in December 2010 under a tender held by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), which is a subsidiary of state-owned NTPC Ltd (BOM:532555). NVVN will be buying the plant’s generated power under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

The project was financed with debt provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Export Import Bank of the US, Financerings Maatschappu Voor Ontwikkelingslanden NV (FMO) and Axis Bank.

Reliance’s renewable energy portfolio now reaches 185 MW, the company added.

(INR 10 = USD 0.162/EUR 0.131)

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