CLP to set up 39.6 MW wind farm in Karnataka's Davanagere district

Power producer CLP India today said that it would develop a 39.6 MW wind farm at Harapanahalli in the Davanagere district of Karnataka.

A press release from the company said it had entered into an agreement with wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Technology India Pvt Ltd to develop this green-field project on a turnkey basis.

The release said construction of the project had commenced and would be completed in the first quarter of 2011.

The wind farm will use 24 Vestas V82 1.65 MW turbines and is expected to qualify as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project under the Kyoto Protocol, which will contribute significantly to the financial viability of the project, the release said.

With this, CLP’s wind portfolio has increased to 485.6 MW – making it the largest wind energy developer in India, the release said.

CLP has already committed 82.4 MW of wind investments in the state of Karnataka, which are under construction. This addition of 39.6 MW will enhance CLP’s presence in Karnataka to 122 MW.

The event coincided with the full commissioning of CLP’s 99 MW Theni Wind Farm in Tamil Nadu, which was executed on a turnkey basis by Vestas.

"The Harapanahalli project reflects our commitment to sustaining CLP’s position as a leading developer of renewable energy in India," Mr Rajiv Mishra, Managing Director, CLP India, said.

"Given the increasing demand and having successfully operationalised 302 MW of the committed 485.6 MW across five wind farms in India, we aim to add around 200 MW of wind power installations every year to our portfolio. We have already committed an investment of over Rs 9,700 crore in Indian power projects, and with our intention to broaden our involvement in the Indian wind sector we expect our portfolio to grow steadily," he said.

"The Indian wind energy industry is witnessing an unprecedented change in which CLP and Vestas can benefit from a long term relationship. CLP believes that with this second project the relationship with Vestas has achieved more depth and is looking forward to the next Indian project with Vestas" Mr Mahesh Makhija, Director – Business Development (Renewables), CLP India, said.

Mr Sean Sutton, President - Asia Pacific, Vestas, said the award of the project to it by CLP showed his company's commitment to delivering the highest standards in terms of its product, technology and a safe project completion to its customers.

According to the release, CLP India is the largest foreign investor in the wind power sector with a combined capacity of 485.6 MW – 302 MW under operation and 183 MW under various stages of implementation in Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

In addition to its renewable energy portfolio, CLP India owns and operates a modern 655 MW combined cycle gas power plant at Paguthan village near Bharuch in Gujarat. I is also building a 1,320 MW domestic supercritical coal-fired power project at Jhajjar in Haryana.

CLP India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the CLP Group, a Hong Kong-listed company and one of the largest investor-owned power businesses in Asia.

NNN