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Haryana amends its Solar Power Policy to introduce new guidelines for megawatt-scale ground-mounted and rooftop solar photovoltaic projects; Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh consider new net metering regulations for grid-connected renewable energy systems; Meghalaya passes $2.3 billion budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year; Jammu and Kashmir offers 19 new services online as part of state’s push for e-governance; and more.

Center – State relations

The center introduced new financial incentives for states and tweaked its policy to address two major issues plaguing solar park developers — shortage of land and lack of transmission facility. The center will offer states $0.0002 for every kilowatt-hour, or unit, of power produced at the solar parks, and will change its policy regarding the development of solar parks and ultra-mega solar parks in a bid to ease constraints related to availability of land and transmission infrastructure irrespective. Source: Economic Times

The government has approved the second phase of the program to set up grid-connected rooftop solar power projects with a central financial support of $1.7 billion, which will be spent over four years. Under the program, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy aims to establish 40,000 megawatts (MW) of total rooftop solar power generation capacity. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release

State-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has awarded a contract to French government-owned power utility Électricité de France SA to install five million smart meters in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. Source: Live Mint

Andhra Pradesh

Nothing critical to report this week

Bihar

The Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency issued a request for proposal to install 10 MW of rooftop solar projects. The last date for the submission of bids is April 9, 2019. Source: Energy Log

New Delhi

Power discom BSES Yamuna Power Limited has commissioned four solar microgrids with storage batteries in east Delhi which will help reduce the city’s carbon footprint and provide backup power in case of outages. Source: Business Standard In detail: Press Release

Gujarat

Nothing critical to report this week.

Haryana

The Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency amended its guidelines for megawatt-scale ground-mounted and rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) projects meant for captive consumption or third-party sale. These guidelines fall under the Haryana Solar Power Policy, 2016. Source: Mercom In detail: Amendment - Haryana Solar Power Policy-2016

Karnataka

Nothing critical to report this week.

Madhya Pradesh

Nothing critical to report this week.

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency issued a tender for 4,664 kilowatts of off-grid solar PV projects to be developed across the state. The bid submission deadline is March 30, 2019. The estimated project cost is ₹447.8 million (~$6.5 million), and the bidders will have to pay an earnest money deposit of ₹4.478 million (~$64,279). Source: Mercom

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission issued an order saying that it will initiate a public consultative process to amend the net-metering regulations and frame new regulations to oversee issues related to grid-connected renewable energy sources. Source: Mercom In detail: MERC Order

The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited released a tender inviting online bids for the development of 184 MW of grid-interactive solar PV power plants at several locations in the state. Source: Energetica

Rajasthan

GE Renewable Energy announced it has won a project to modernize the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited’s grid as part of the utility’s roadmap to augment renewable energy in the state. Source: Pv-Magazine In detail: Press Release

The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission finalized new regulations to amend its terms and conditions for the determination of tariff for renewable energy sources, specifically wind and solar energy. Source: Mercom In detail: RERC (Terms and Conditions for Determination of Tariff for Renewable Energy Sources-Wind and Solar Energy) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2019

The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission amended its net metering regulations passed in the year 2015 for rooftop and small solar grid interactive systems, adding a new provision on the payment to domestic consumers with net-metered rooftop solar PV systems for the electricity injected back to the grid. Source: Mercom In detail: RERC (Connectivity and Net Metering for Rooftop and Small Solar Grid Interactive Systems) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2019

Tamil Nadu

Nothing critical to report this week.

Telangana

Telangana has invited global competitive bids to set up rooftop solar projects on roofs of pump houses, sewage and water treatment plants, and office buildings of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board total\ling 31.12 MW. Source: The Hindu Business Line In detail: RFS document

State-owned public sector undertaking Power Finance Corporation has agreed to extend another credit line of $4.34 billion to Telangana to help complete ongoing irrigation projects, including the Kaleshwaram, Sita Rama. and Palamuru-Rangareddy schemes. This credit line comes after the Power Finance Corporation has already extended loans of $5.79 billion to the state. Source: The Hindu Business Line

Uttar Pradesh

In order to provide a stimulus to the electric vehicle (EV) sector in Uttar Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh Electric Regulatory Commission has announced a liberal tariff chart for EV charging stations. Source: Business Standard In detail: Tariff for EV charging

The Solar Energy Corporation of India issued a tender to set up solar power projects of a cumulative capacity of 275 MW in the UP Solar Park, Uttar Pradesh. The detailed request for selection (RFS) will be available for download by April 30, 2019. Uttar Pradesh has set a target to install 3.2 gigawatts of solar power by March 2021. Source: Mercom In detail: Tender details

West Bengal

The West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency issued a tender to set up 2 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar PV projects under residential, institutional and social sectors in the state. Source: Mercom In detail: Tender details

Best of the Rest

Himachal Pradesh

The Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission issued a draft order for rooftop solar grid-interactive systems based on net metering. This order will apply to those domestic consumers who have a letter of approval to install rooftop solar PV grid-interactive systems based on net metering issued after November 15, 2018, and who have subsequently installed these systems. Source: Mercom In detail: Draft HPERC (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive System based on Net Metering) Order, 2019

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik launched 19 Government to Citizen online services for seven state government departments. Citizens can access these services on the State Services Delivery Gateway. Source: Times of India

Meghalaya

The Meghalaya assembly passed a budget of more than $2.3 billion for the financial year ending March 31, 2020, on the last day of the state assembly’s budget session. Source: The Telegraph In detail: Budget speech

Odisha

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), one of country’s leading think-tanks, will set up an industrial incubation facility, called the TERI-Deakin Nanobiotechnology Research Centre, in Odisha. The facility will support development of biotechnology solutions to address issues affecting agriculture, the environment, and energy. Source: Business Standard In detail: Press Release

Sikkim

The National Hydropower Corporation announced it will submit a bid for 120-MW Jal Power stressed plant in Sikkim when the project is bid out under the bankruptcy court this month. Source: Economic Times