MNRE Guidelines Amended: Six Months Extension For Commissioning Solar Power Projects

Introduction

On 30 August 2018, the Ministry of New and Renewable and Energy, Government of India (MNRE), amended the guidelines for setting up grid connected solar photovoltaic power projects under the viability gap funding scheme of 750 MW under Batch I of Phase II, 2000 MW under Batch III of Phase II, and 5000 MW under Batch IV of Phase II of the National Solar Mission (Amended Guidelines).

The power purchase agreements (PPAs) entered with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), pursuant to the abovementioned schemes, require solar power projects to be commissioned within 12 or 13 months, as the case may be, from the effective date of the PPAs (Scheduled Commissioning Date). However, in case there is any delay in commissioning the solar power project by its Scheduled Commissioning Date, the PPA provides for a maximum period of 24 or 25 months from the date of execution of the relevant PPA to commission the solar power project (Long Stop Date), subject