Reliance Power commissions 100 MW solar CSP project in Rajasthan

MUMBAI: Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power has started generation in its 100 MW Concentrated Solar Power(CSP) project in Rajasthan.

"The company has successfully synchronised the Rs 2,100 crore 100 MW solar CSP project with the grid and power generation has commenced," Reliance Power said in a statement.

With this project, RPower's generation capacity has increased to 5,285 MW, which includes 5,100 MW of thermal capacity and 185 MW of renewable energy based capacity, it added.

"This 100 MW project is the largest investment undertaken by any private sector entity in CSP technology in the country, which was financed through debt from multilateral agencies like Asian Development Bank (ADB), Export Import Bank of USA, Financerings Maatschappu Voor Ontwikkelingslanden NV (FMO), Netherlands and Axis Bank," the statement said.

Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of RPower, was awarded the project in December 2010, based on international competitive bidding conducted by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, a subsidiary of NTPC, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.

The project has 25 per cent reserve margin to meet 25 year power purchase agreement (PPA) obligations.

The CFLR (compact linear fresnel reflector) technology for the project was provided by Areva Solar, the US subsidiary of the France-based Areva, it added.