Page 12 - AsiaElec Week 49

AsiaElec NUCLEAR AsiaElec

Payments to Solar and Wind the firm showed that the invoice for the third
WIND It said that a letter issued by the RUVNL to
MHI denies interest in Generators installment of the dues was received after a
delay of eight years, barring the generator’s
Siemens’ stake in Siemens The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory claims for dues under the provisions of the
Limitation Act.
Commission (RERC) has issued an order
Gamesa directing the Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam there was a noticeable delay in making the
Upon analysis, the Commission said that
Limited (JdVVNL) to verify and pay its
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is not in overdue late payment surcharges (LPS) to principal payments as well as LPS dues to the
discussions to gauge Siemens Energy’s interest a wind generator in the state and to ensure wind generator. It cited previous petitions on
to sell all or parts of wind turbine maker timely payments to solar and wind generators similar issues where it held that in the case
Siemens Gamesa, the group said on Tuesday. in the future. of delayed payments beyond the timelines
Spanish newspaper Expansion a day earlier Malaxmi Wind Power, a wind power mentioned in the PPA, the generator is
had cited financial sources as saying that generator in the state, filed a petition with the entitled to LPS as per the Renewable Energy
Mitsubishi and Shanghai Electric approached Commission seeking to direct the JdVVNL Tariff Regulations.
Siemens to assess its willingness to sell, to pay its dues and interest on the delayed It further added that it was not appropriate
adding talks were at a very early stage, Reuters payments. It said that despite offering a for DISCOMs to compel generators to file
reported. 50% waiver on the distribution company’s petitions to claim dues each time, especially
“MHI is not in any negotiations of the (DISCOM) LPS, payments were not released when it has given “clear directions” in past
type reported in the media. Our wind power on time, and it revoked its offer to waive 50% cases to pay interest against delayed payments
strategy has already been shared as per our off the LPS amount. as per the terms of the PPAs.
announcements,” the company said. The petitioner said that the DISCOM has The Commission said that DISCOMs must
MHI pointed to its intensified cooperation neither honored the timeline for payment “follow the said directions scrupulously in all
with Vestas , Siemens Gamesa’s largest rival, nor paid its surcharge on delayed payments. similar cases so that multiplicity of litigations
after recently selling its 50% stake in offshore It sought to recover the principal amount and can be avoided.” It added that DISCOMs
wind joint venture MHI Vestas to the Danish the corresponding LPS as per the terms of the who have signed the agreement was bound
group in exchange for a 2.5% equity stake and power purchase agreement (PPA) through the by them, and if they failed to comply, their
a board seat. petition. credibility would be affected.
Siemens Energy, which was spun off The wind generator sought for INR22.1 In its final order, the Commission directed
from former parent Siemens and holds 67% million ($299,761) in LPS along with the JdVVNL to verify each of the wind generator’s
of Siemens Gamesa, declined to comment. principal amount of INR18.8 million claims to ensure compliance with the terms of
Shanghai Electric did not respond to repeated ($255,001) due, as of May 15, 2020. the PPA and to pay its LPS dues up to March
requests for comment. In its response, the JdVVNL stated that 2020 before March 31, 2021.
Siemens Energy last month reiterated it it had paid its energy dues for the period The Commission further directed the
had no plans currently to change its 67% between November 2019 and January 2020 DISCOM to ensure that future payments to
holding in Siemens Gamesa, which has to the tune of INR7.7 million ($104,442) and solar and wind generators are made on a first-
a market valuation of 19.98 billion euros that the principal dues for February 2020 to come, first-serve basis regardless of whether
($24.22 billion). July 2020 stood at INR26.3 million ($356,730). they have filed petitions or not.
Additionally, it said it released payments Previously, the state regulator asked a
RENEWABLES on March 30, 2017, for its dues of INR36.4 textile company to pay the transmission
million ($493,725) from May 2016 to charges, and the state load despatch center
Rajasthan Regulator Asks December 2016 and the LPS amount of charges amounting to INR14 million
INR3.2 million ($43,404) for the period
($187,357) to Rajasthan Vidyut Prasaran
DISCOM to Ensure Timely between June 2015 and December 2016. The Nigam.
In March this year, RERC came out with
DISCOM added that the wind generator had
claimed 100% interest for these periods. a suo-moto order regarding the directives

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 49 09•December•2020