GECP work to be completed by March 2017

Green energy corridor

Work on Green Energy Corridor Project (GECP) for evacuation of renewable energy from source to load center will be completed by March 2017.

GECP will include both intra-state and inter-state transmission infrastructure and have the capability to accommodate capacity addition by March 2017.

While respective states will develop the intra-state transmission system of the project, Power Grid Corporation of India is developing the inter-state transmission component.

Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal submitted this in a written reply given to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament, on Thursday.

At present even renewable energy rich states lack the infrastructure to evacuate any excess power generated from clean energy projects, the minister has stated.

Goyal, however, noted that the country overshot the target set for renewable energy generation last year by achieving 108 percent. In 2013-14, the country achieved 84.15 percent of the target set and in 2012-13 it was 76.68 percent.

The minister said the shortfall in 2012-13 and 2013-14 was primarily caused by wind power and small hydro power segments. Hydropower projects were affected by delay in forest clearances and court cases, whereas generation based incentive issues reduced wind power generation.

The restoration of accelerated depreciation and generation based incentives resulted in the target being achieved and being surpassed, the minister said.

Ajith Kumar S

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