Reliance Power ready to start 100 MW Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant in March

Reliance Power has started pre-commissioning activities for its Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) project in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district. “The innovative CFLR Technology for the project is provided by Areva Solar of France and is simple in design, having minimal environmental spill, lesser land requirement and is more efficient than other solar thermal technologies available,” the statement added.

The solar thermal project is the world’s largest CSP project based on CLFR technology. The 100 MW Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant is being built at a cost of Rs. 2,100 Crores, adjacent to the 40 MW solar photovoltaic project commissioned by the company last year.

Steam blowing is a critical milestone towards pre-commissioning activities of the Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Plant. The solar thermal project is all set to be commissioned by March 2014.

Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Power, was awarded the CSP project in December 2010, based on international competitive bidding conducted by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (a subsidiary of NTPC Ltd) under the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission of Government of India.

The solar thermal project is the largest investment undertaken by any private sector entity in CSP Technology in India. The project is financed through Debt from multilateral agencies like Asian Development Bank (ADB), Export Import Bank of the United States, Financerings Maatschappu Voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO), Netherlands and Axis Bank.

The innovative CFLR Technology for the project is provided by Areva Solar of France, which is simple in design, having minimal environmental spill, lesser land requirement and is more efficient than other solar thermal technologies available.

Reliance Power is part of the Reliance ADAG Group and India’s leading private sector power generation company. The company has the largest portfolio of power projects in the private sector, based on coal, gas, hydro and renewable energy, with an operating portfolio of 2,545 MW. The company also has the largest captive coal reserves in the private sector, estimated at more than two billion tonnes. Besides, the company is also developing coal mines in Indonesia and coal bed methane blocks in India.

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