Pandemic-impacted renewable energy projects can apply for extension again

Renewable energy projects that are under construction or were awarded and could not commence construction owing to the Covid pandemic and lockdown restrictions, can now apply for extension in their commissioning.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in a notice to project developers said RE projects that have their scheduled commissioning date on and after April 2021 would be eligible to apply for time extension.

“RE projects being implemented through Implementing Agencies designated by the MNRE or under various schemes of the MNRE, having their Scheduled Commissioning Date (SCD) on or after April 1, 2021 will be eligible to claim time-extension for completion of their project activities, said the notice by MNRE.

It further said the actual quantum of time-extension shall be decided in due course depending on the Covid-19 related developments that take place in the coming weeks.

This is the second time since last year that RE projects have got time extension for their commissioning. In August 2020, MNRE granted a blanket five months extension to all RE projects which were under implementation on March 25th 2020, the day after national lockdown was announced.

Covid-19 impact: Centre gives 5-month extension to renewable projects Close to 7 Gw of RE power projects extended their scheduled commissioning through this extension.