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First Solar would delay $300 million factory in Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City.

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission has dismissed Hindalco Industries plea that grid connected that grid-connected coal based cogeneration be considered for fulfillment of the Renewable Purchase Obligation.

Struggling to regain its grip on the critical activities of its 600 MW unit of the Mundra thermal power plant (TPP), Adani Power Limited (APL) has made a contingency arrangement for structural erection works associated with the coal handling plant, hoping that the process is completed before the revised estimate of December 2011. With the grim reality of unstable progress weighing down on APL, it has now resorted to expediting the civil and structural fabrication works. Further, it has also started maintaining the ash handling plant, which has been reported as ‘critical’ recently. In all likelihood, the works of the plant, along with the commencement of full load operations, will now be completed by the end of January 2012. In addition to this, the feasibility of unit commissioning is also dependent upon the boiler light up (BLU) and turbine generator (TG) box up works, both of which have now been pushed ahead by a period of six months. The oil synchronization process is now scheduled to be completed by mid December this year. APL has been struggling with the coal firing process, with this crucial activity now anticipated to be completed by end of December 2011.  

NTPC Consultancy, a part of the state-run power major, has secured a six-year contract to provide operations & maintenance services at the Siddhirganj Peaking Power Plant in Bangladesh.

China Power International Development, in partnership with China Coal Energy, will set up a joint venture in China with a total investment of $778m. State-owned China Power International will hold an 80% stake and China Coal will hold 20% interest in China Power Shentou Power Generating. Under the terms of the agreement, the JV will build and operate coal-fired power units in the country. The JV will acquire two coal-fired power generation units with a capacity of 600MW from China Power's Shentou 1 Power plant in Shanxi province and China Coal Energy will ensure sufficient supply of coal. In addition, the two companies will cooperate in future coal-electricity projects.  

The AFEF will be the anchor renewable energy forum at the Singapore International Energy Week from 6 – 8 November 2012.

MWM will now become part of Caterpillar’s Electric Power Division.

Munich RE had selected Astronergy's thin-film amorphous microcrystalline silicon PV panels for a 1.65MW solar project in Thailand.

LDK Silicon & Chemical Technology broke ground on its 30,000MT polysilicon manufacturing facility in the Hohhot Cirty’s Jinsan Development Zone.

India and Bhutan have reiterated their commitment to achieve the target of 10,000 Mw of power generation in Bhutan by 2020.

The agreement is for the development of Ultra High Voltage Direct Current power transmission systems in China.

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Datang International Power Generation Co. Limited's (DIPG) Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at 'BB' with a Stable Outlook. The agency has simultaneously affirmed its senior unsecured ratings at 'BB' and Short-Term Foreign and Local Currency IDRs at 'B'. "The affirmation of the ratings reflects the stable position of DIPG and the parent China Datang Corporation in the face of continued disparity between high coal prices and artificially low electricity tariffs," notes Steve Cox, Director in Fitch's Asia-Pacific Energy and Utilities team. Both DIPG and China Datang Corporation remain a notch above their standalone credit profiles, reflecting potential state support. Fitch applies its parent and subsidiary rating linkage methodology to assess the links between DIPG and China Datang Corporation, and between China Datang Corporation and the sovereign. The standalone credit profile of DIPG and the consolidated profile of its parent are assessed as equivalent to 'BB-' before any assessment of state support provides the single-notch uplift. The Stable Outlook reflects Fitch's expectation that the Chinese government will take adequate steps to support Chinese independent power producers such as DIPG - as evidenced in the retrospective tariff rises for 2010 production in some plants, and April 2010 tariff rises in certain provinces. The Outlook, however, also incorporates Fitch's view that the disparity between coal prices and tariffs will continue and the burden will be primarily born by power producers. Fitch expects DIPG's total adjusted debt/operating EBITDAR to remain above 8.5x over the medium term. However, DIPG and the parent remain exposed to financial deterioration due to a weak thermal power industry and lack of a transparent pass-through mechanism for rising coal prices. However, the risk is partly mitigated by the group's own coal production business. Fitch may take negative rating action if the financial profile of either DIPG or China Datang Corporation deteriorates. Reuters  

Fitch Ratings has downgraded Huadian Power International Limited's (HDPI) Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) to 'BB-' from 'BB'. The Outlook is Stable. The agency has simultaneously affirmed its Short-Term Foreign and Local Currency IDRs at 'B'. "The downgrade reflects the weakened financial profile of Huadian Power International and its parent, China Huadian Group, in the face of continued disparity between high coal prices and artificially low electricity tariffs. The impact from slow tariff adjustments is highest for Huadian among Fitch-rated Chinese thermal power producers," notes Steve Cox, Director in Fitch's Asia-Pacific Energy and Utilities team. HDPI and China Huadian Group have, overall, worse interest coverage and leverage profile compared with their respective peers in China, as well as a heavy debt-funded capex programme. Based on Fitch's parent and subsidiary rating linkage methodology, HDPI continues to be notched one level above its standalone credit profile, reflecting potential state support through China Huadian Group. The same methodology is being applied to China Huadian Group, which assesses its links to the sovereign. On a standalone basis, both the credit profiles of HDPI and China Huadian Group have been downgraded to 'B+' from 'BB-', before any assessment of state support. Under current market conditions, the group's asset portfolio has greater exposure to the fundamental problems affecting all thermal power producers in China: a combination of tariff controls, rising coal prices, exposure to non-fulfilment of contract coal, and volatility in the non-contract coal spot market. The company's interest coverage is also negatively affected by the impact of base rate rises on floating-rate loans, and high borrowing costs in the CNY bond market. In FY10, HDPI's funds from operations (FFO) interest coverage fell below 2.0x from 3.0x in FY09. Fitch continues to expect HDPI's total adjusted debt/operating EBITDAR to remain above 10x in the medium term. The Stable Outlook reflects Fitch's expectation that the Chinese government will take adequate steps to support Chinese independent power producers such as HPDI - as evidenced in the retrospective tariff rises for 2010 production in some plants, and April 2010 tariff rises in certain provinces. The Outlook, however, also incorporates Fitch's view that the disparity between coal prices and tariffs will continue and the burden will be primarily born by power producers Reuters

Fitch Ratings has affirmed China Power International Development Limited's (CPI) Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at 'BB' with a Stable Outlook. The agency simultaneously affirmed its Short-term foreign and local currency IDRs at 'B'. "The ratings reflect CPI's strategy of investment in the hydro-power segment to reduce its exposure to the fundamental problems facing the thermal power segment," says Steve Cox, Director in Fitch's Asia-Pacific energy and utilities team. CPI reported an EBITDA margin of 27.5% for H111, and for H110 its EBITDA margin was the highest among Fitch-rated Chinese thermal independent power producers (IPPs). The company has also mitigated some of the disparity between high coal prices and government controlled on-grid tariffs by high levels of contract fulfilment - around 90% of coal supply - and tying in coal supply with two thermal stations by offering minority equity stakes to the coal producer. Fitch applies its parent and subsidiary rating linkage methodology to assess the linkages between CPI and its parent China Power Investment Group (CPI Group). CPI Group benefits from an investment portfolio vertically integrating coal, power and aluminium business units. The parent's consolidated credit profile is weaker than CPI's stand-alone 'BB' rating by one notch. Due to the lack of ring fencing of CPI from its parent, CPI 's rating, before any consideration of state support, is constrained by the credit profile of its parent. However in view of CPI Group and CPI's strategic importance to China, Fitch has applied a one-notch uplift in arriving at CPI's final rating of 'BB'. The agency notes that CPI's capex plans, although still aggressive and partly debt financed, are weighted toward hydro power and will further increase the company's protection against low margins or losses in the thermal power segment. These projects include the Baishi and Tuokou hydro projects which will add installed capacity of 1.85GW upon completion. However, CPI is exposed to hydrological risk from concentration of its assets on the Yuanjiang river. The Stable Outlook reflects Fitch's expectation that the Chinese government will take adequate steps to support the Chinese IPPs, as evidenced in the retrospective tariff rises against 2010 production in some plants, and April 2010 tariff rises in some provinces. But it also incorporates Fitch's view that the disparity between coal prices and tariffs will continue and the burden will be primarily born by power producers. Reuters  

 Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that its ratings on Thailand-based power companies Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT; BBB+/Stable/--, axA+/axA-1) and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Public Co. Ltd. (RATCH; BBB+/Stable/--; axA+/--) are unaffected by large-scale flooding in the country. We understand that the flooding has not significantly affected EGAT's power generation plants and transmission networks. Nevertheless, we expect the company's sales will decline in the last quarter of 2011. The flood-related shutdown of several factories and warehouses will lower electricity demand from the industrial segment in the last quarter. RATCH's power generation plants are primarily located in Ratchaburi province, which has not been affected by the floods. In addition, the company's cash flows are protected from any demand-side risk because its power purchase agreements with EGAT ensure steady capacity payments against agreed levels of electricity availability and heat rate. Reuters