National Aluminium Co Ltd (Nalco) has commissioned its first wind power project at Gandikota in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. The Government-owned company invested Rs 275 crore for the 50-MW Suzlon-erected project.
Nalco signed a power purchase agreement with the State’s power transmission utility Transco last week and has begun injection of power to the State grid, B.L. Bagra, Nalco’s Finance Director, told Business Line . The windmill project has received clearance from the Ministry of Forests and Environment.
Nalco is setting up its second wind power project, also of 50 MW, in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. “The cost of this project, would be around Rs 190 crore,” Bagra added. The company has placed an order for the Rajasthan project to Gamesha, selected to tender. It is expected to be in operation in the next seven months.
Nalco, a large thermal power consumer for its aluminium smelting in Odisha, is obliged to generate renewable energy under electricity regulations. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the Indian Wind Turbine Manufactures Association (WTMA) has reported that public sector units have so far established around 1135 MW of wind power projects in the country, besides solar power projects of 27 MW.