Bengal discom takes CIL to competition panel

After the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company and the Gujarat State Electricity Corporation, it’s the turn of West Bengal’s State power generation utility to approach the Competition Commission of India (CCI), accusing unfair trade practices by Coal India subsidiaries.

NTPC''s non-core plans flounder

Seven years on, it does not have a single hydel or nuclear power plant and its coal mines are languishing

CEA recommends 126 applications for coal blocks

Captive coal blocks to be allocated to 25 PSU power firms across six states

BPCL is rolling up its sleeves to meet deregulated diesel market

India’s fuel retail landscape is poised to change in the next 12-18 months when diesel prices will no longer be subsidised.

BP wants to surrender KG basin block

UK’s BP plc has offered to surrender a KG basin block after restrictions imposed by the Defence Ministry made oil and gas exploration practically impossible in it.

Over 15,000 MW capacity plants stuck due to zero supply by RIL

Over 15,000 MW gas-based capacity is stranded in the country due to non supply of natural gas from RIL’s KG basin.

Mytrah Energy to acquire 60 MW of wind farms

Mytrah Energy Ltd is set to acquire 59.75 MW of existing operational wind power assets in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Coal India''s production set to rise most in 5 years

This financial year, growth in Coal India Limited (CIL)''s output is set to rise to a five-year high. The company, ready to hit the market with its mega Rs 20,000-crore share sale later this year, would exceed the production target of 482 million tonnes (mt) for this financial year, against production of 452 mt in 2012-13, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said today.

Oil companies under CCI scanner for price-fixing

Investigative wing of the Commission will soon serve notices to these companies seeking there response on the matter

ONGC hopes to recover 35% costs incurred in exploring methane from selected partners

ONGC expects to recover approximately Rs 120 crore by farming out 35 per cent stake to private sector operators in three exploratory coal bed methane (CBM) assets, according to sources.

CCEA in a fix over domestic gas price review

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) will have a tough task at hand when it meets to review the price of domestic natural gas.

10 states on board for centre''s debt recast plan for discoms: Ministry of Power

As many as 10 states have come on board to avail of Centre''s ambitious financial restructuring scheme for discoms, the Ministry of Power said today.

BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd accused of fudging accounts, discom denies charge

BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) was today accused of fudging balance sheet for 2011-12 by an NGO which also claimed that power regulator DERC failed to carry out scrutiny of audit report that could have saved consumers from being fleeced, but the discom rejected the charge.

Cut coal import duty to boost plants: Power min

The power ministry has sought reduction in import duty on all forms of coal used for power generation from 4% at present to 1%, stating in a letter to the finance ministry that this would help increase the viability of power plants using imported coal.

ONGC may take IOC on board to buy Govt’s stake in Haldia Petrochem

Public sector oil major ONGC is planning to join hands with IndianOil for acquiring West Bengal Government’s 40 per cent stake in the ailing Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd, according to sources. IOC holds a minority nine per cent interest in HPL.

Coal India must meet full requirement under fuel supply pacts: CERC

CERC said to allow CIL to meet the shortfall in domestic coal supply through imports on cost-plus basis, changes in the New Coal Distribution Policy were necessary.

Plan B to Beat load shedding

Half of India was left without electricity for hours when northern and eastern grids failed last year. Essential services like rail and metro came to a halt while hospitals and airports had to use back-up power to carry on with their critical work. This could have been avoided if the domestic electricity sector had a well-developed ancillary services market.

Rs 10k-cr Suzlon debt recast package on cards

Lenders are close to firming up a restructuring package for loans worth about Rs 10,000 crore to financially stressed Suzlon Energy Ltd.

PNGRB fixes RGTIL East-West gas pipeline capacity at 85 mmscmd

Oil regulator PNGRB has fixed the capacity of Reliance Gas Transportation Infrastructure Ltd's (RGTIL) East-West gas pipeline at 85 million standard cubic meters per day.

Power bills to drop as DERC reverts to original slabs

In some glad tidings for the festive season, Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on Monday went ahead with its proposal of scrapping the 0-400 units slab and reverting to the original system of 0-200 and 201-400 units.

PowerMin reiterates open access directive to CERC

To promote open access and competition in the sector, the power ministry today reiterated it could direct the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and the Forum of Regulators (FoR) to take necessary action, including framing of appropriate regulations, to implement the provisions of open access in the Electricity Act, 2003

Expanding generation capacity only way to avoid grid failures: Tata Power MD

The only option to avoid grid failures is to expand the generating capacity, according to Anil Sardana, Managing Director, Tata Power.

Coal-bearing States frown at price pooling proposal

The Union Government’s move to ask existing domestic coal users to pay for imported fuel to be used in the newly commissioned power projects, may face stiff opposition from coal-bearing States.

Grid failure: Facts and fiction

The Northern Grid failure that occurred on July 30 occasioned a flood of comment in the print and electronic media. Unfortunately, some of this comment was ill-informed and misleading. This could lead to people losing faith in one of the finest institutions in the country. A well-informed approach is necessary to fully understand the events that unfolded on July 30 and 31

Govt approves RIL’s $ 1.53 bn KG—D6 satellite field plan

The government has approved Reliance Industries’ $ 1.529 billion plan to produce over 10 million standard cubic meters per day of gas from four satellite fields in the flagging KG—D6 block.

Asia, Africa must jointly tackle climate issues: PM

Noting that economies of developing countries are impacted by climate change, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Monday pitched for greater cooperation between Asian and African countries to address short and long-term challenges in this regard.

ATF import may not get much relief

The Union Government’s move to decontrol the import of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) may not actually be of much help to airlines

Power sans coal in India

Four decades after the nationalization of the coal sector the problem for the government is that of efficiency in collecting money from companies that mine coal for the power generation.

AP industry seeks power from Chhattisgarh

Starved of power, the industry in Andhra Pradesh has asked Chhattisgarh to supply whatever surplus power it has to help it fill the gap between demand and supply. Chhattisgarh has responded positively and agreed to share power with Andhra Pradesh.

Oil higher in Asian trade on Nigerian unrest

Oil prices rose in Asian trade today as worries over supply disruptions in Nigeria outweighed concerns over the mass debt downgrade of Euro zone nations, analysts said

Wind Power Development in India

India faces a formidable challenge in meeting its energy needs and providing adequate and affordable energy to all sections of society in a sustainable manner. The country today faces an energy demand supply gap of about 8% with peak shortages to the order of 11-12%.

Electricity Act 2003, the seven year itch!

The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Electricity Act, 2003, admits that the performance of the State Electricity Boards had deteriorated, including the fact that the Board’s were unable to determine tariff in an independent manner...

Land acquisition and environmental clearance for large scale projects - A perspective

Land acquisition and environmental clearance for large scale projects - A perspective

We Really Lack champions In The Power Sector

The current power situation has become the most talked about topic today. Everyone seems to be looking for answers and solutions. In our quest for some insights, InfralinePlus’ Palavi Chakravorty spoke with Harry Dhaul, Director General, Independent Power Producers Association of India (IPPAI) about the current challenges facing the power sector. A man of many words, Dhaul talked at length about the real glitches, government’s failure to address the issues, policy paralysis and what we really need to concentrate on to turn the sector around.

Issues in private entry into nuclear energy in India

OUTLINE: 1. Regulatory Principles 2. Regulatory legislation on Electricity, CERC, SERC, AEC 3. Regulatory legislation on Atomic Energy 4. Alternatives in Tariff Determination 5. Power Purchase Agreements 6. Subsidies 7. Nuclear Power and the Regulator 8. Issues to be addressed. 9. ANNEXURES 1 to 4

Operational & Commercial Issues for Power Plants to be set up in India

Operational & Commercial Issues for Power Plants to be set up in India

The Indian Power Market in the context of declining electricity prices on one hand and capacity addition on the other. An Analysis and the Way Forward

There has been a significant amount of activity that has been witnessed in the Power Market in the last one year. While on one hand we have seen a record capacity addition happening for the sector as a whole, there has also been a quantum jump in the contribution from the private sector.

Directions for Effective Regulation of Renewable Energy: An Analysis of Renewable Energy Certificates

In accordance with the Electricity Act 2003, State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) have notified the Renewable Portfolio Obligation (RPO) by which obligated entities, namely distribution companies, captive generators, and open access consumers, are required to purchase a certain quantity of electricity for consumption through renewable energy sources.

Conference Recommendations from IPPAI-MERC Conference

Conference Recommendations: Generic Consumer Grievances and Recommendations compiled by IPPAI from the IPPAI-MERC Conference:Consumer Issues in Power: Solutions and the Way Forward organised in Mumbai, India in February 2011.

Direct Tax Code - Glimpses Of Its Impact On The energy Sector

When archaic rules have to be replaced with new ones, the changes have to be dramatic and path breaking. The Direct Tax Code (DTC) endeavours to usher in an era of transparency and greater tax compliance.