New 300MW wind farm to come up in Coimbatore

A private renewable energy company has won a bid to set up a 300MW wind energy park in Coimbatore district. The Hyderabad-based Mytrah Energy won the bid, for which tender was floated by Solar Energy Corporation of India on Monday with a tariff of 2.52 per unit.

At present, the wind power units in Tamil Nadu are of lower capacity with a maximum of 1MW. The new units will be of higher capacity and will generate power throughout the year as the wind mills will rotate both ways. As per the tender rules, the company will have to set up the unit within 18 months. Wind power tariff has also fallen from 3 per unit last year to 2.52 at present, lowest in the country.

Meanwhile, wind power generation has resumed in Tamil Nadu in the last two days, giving some relief to Tangedco to sustain its coal buffer stock. “Wind power generation has picked up, especially in the evening and morning and we are able to evacuate not less than 4,000MW. This has come as a blessing in disguise, as it will help shore up coal stock,” said a senior Tangedco official.

This wind power is flowing from the Palakad Gap yet Kerala is slow to exploit it.Malaikallan N

“We have shut down some thermal units of Tangedco only due to availability of wind power, though we have coal stock to the extent of seven days. We are also purchasing power from the Electricity Exchange to meet the demand,” said the official.

Power demand has been lower in the last two days due to rain in some parts of the state and also due to the temperature coming down in north of the state. “The demand has been less than 14,500MW in the evening and during early morning it is even less. This has also helped us in burning less coal,” said he said.