India

The coal handling plant of the first unit of Mettur thermal is likely to be ready for coal bunkering by the end of December 2011.

NHPC has now approved an interest bearing advance of Rs 10 crore against a secured bank guarantee to Hindustan Construction Company, contractor of its Uri-II hydroelectric project. Thge latter is experiencing a cash flow crunch. Further, NHPC`s board of directors are in the process of considering an additional interest bearing advance of Rs 15 crore to HCC.

Essar Energy expects to complete three power projects by March next year that would increase its total generation capacity to 4,510 Mw.

Gujarat is pushing for new feed-in tariff rates covering PV projects commissioned from January 29, 2012 until March 31, 2015.

Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limiteda has been granted the techno economic clearance fo rits120 MW Vyasi hydro electric project from the Central Electricity Authority.

India boosted its wind power maintenance technology by creating lubricants and sealants that helps windmilsl function properly.

Nepal and Czech Republic have agreed to form a joint economic council to boost bilateral trade and investment opportunities between the two countries, including electricity. During the meeting with Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun Thurday at his office, the visiting Czech assistant minister for Environment Ivo Hlavac agreed on forming a joint economic council. Formation of joint economic council is a good to start for joint projects, he said, showing interest on investment on electricity, water and sanitation management of big cities like Kathmandu. Pun urged the visiting Czech entrepreneurs to invest in Nepal with out any fear. “Nepal is ready to protect foreign investments,” he said, adding that the country is moving towards stability as yesterday the major parties signed a peace deal. “Nepal is gradually heading towards economic development.”

Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Sreekumar Banerjee, stressed the importance to generate greater awareness among local residents that nuke plants do not have adverse health effects.

Rural Electrification Corp posted an increase in net profit at Rs 622.87 crore for the three months to September from Rs 618.21 crore in the same period last year.

GVK Power's profit after tax went down 11 percent to Rs 37.92 crore from Rs 42.81 crore in the three months to September 2011.

Sunborne Energy will build a 50MW solar thermal power project in Andhra Pradesh, India in partnership with Kosla Ventures and General Catalyst Partners, from which it secured $25m in funding.

More than one third of the PV projects handed out in India’s first national auction look set to miss their January completion deadline, according to an official at the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency.

Adani Power Limited will wrap up all the critical activities of the 660 MW unit-I of the Tiroda Thermal Power Plant by January next year.

Expensive Indonesian coal may cost Tata Power to lose Rs 500 crore in the first year of commissioning of its 4,000-Mw ultra mega project at Mundra, in Gujarat.

India plans to have two gigawatts of solar power generation capacity by March 2013.

Renewable Energy Corporation said it was unlikely to set up its manufacturing presence in Indiadue to unfavorable government policies.