News

Japan began restricting electricity consumption in the Tokyo and Tohoku regions, more than three months after a  meltdown of nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

TEPCO has restarted the 600MW unit No 1 at its Hirono thermal-power plant in Fukushima prefecture, Japan, which was idled for maintenance after the 11 March 2011 earthquake.

NTPC is awaiting the transfer of the supercritical 1,600-MW Katwa power plant by the West Bengal government before it can take measures to implement the project.

India's Minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah called upon the power ministers of North Eastern states to maximize use of renewable energy. The power ministers from the north-eastern states have requested MNRE for 90% funding for the renewable energy projects in the region and help in preparation of state-specific action plans for renewable energy. Dr. Abdullah has agreed for getting the Resource Mapping for solar, wind and micro/small hydro projects prepared for these states. To note, 3,841 villages, out of 4,965 remote villages that are to be electrified through renewable energy systems in the region, have been provided solar lights, thus far. The state encompasses 160 small/micro hydel projects, worth 275 MW capacity and has over 1,18,000 biogas plants.

The renewable energy-based Smart Mini-Grid system has been jointly commissioned by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy  and Ministry of Power at the the TERI Retreat in Gurgaon. Minister of New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, reckons that the smart mini-grids will be very useful for stand-alone projects in villages and inaccessible areas. The minister added that the grid system has been evolved as one of the solutions to the major challenges of enhancing energy-security and energy-access, the country is facing today. Pertinently, advanced sensing, communication and control technologies are used in smart grids these days for not only generation and transmission of power, but also for distribution and utilization of electricity in a more intelligent and effective manner.

Alstom bagged a Rs 1,843 crore contract in consortium with Hindustan Construction Company from Tehri Hydro Development Corporation to construct a 1,000 MW hydro power plant in Uttarakhand.

The 260MW Trung Son hydro power plant, scheduled for construction this year and is expected to be fully operational by 2017, has receive funding.

India's Ministry of Power has devised a new system of rating for state power utilities to incentivise/disincentivise the distribution entities in order to improve their operational and financial performance.

The government of Bangladesh has undertaken a master plan under the Vision-2021 to reach electricity facilities to every village of the country.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan believes Japan's energy policy will be the biggest point of contention in the next general election. There is speculation that he may want to dissolve the Lower House over energy policy. Many Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers, now suspect that Kan may be trying to remain in power as long as possible, and that he could dissolve the Lower House for a snap election to appeal to voters who have started calling for use of non-nuclear power in the face of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant. But Kan, under strong pressure to quit soon, indicated at the same time that he has no plans to dissolve the House of Representatives for a general election while he is in power. ''How to guide our country's energy policy will probably become the biggest issue in the next national election,'' Kan told a meeting of all lawmakers from his Democratic Party of Japan. Japan's prime minister on Monday created two Cabinet posts to oversee the nuclear crisis and tsunami reconstruction efforts as he hopes to shore up his administration against criticism of its handling of the crises. Prime Minister Naoto Kan named Ryu Matsumoto as reconstruction minister and made Goshi Hosono his minister in charge of handling the crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. He also gave special advisory positions to two other senior politicians. The moves are seen as an attempt by Kan to strengthen his hand against a growing number of critics who perceive a lack of leadership following the March 11 disaster. Sixty percent of Japanese voters want Prime Minister Naoto Kan to resign by the end of August, a survey showed, the latest sign of mounting pressure on the unpopular leader to keep a pledge to quit as Japan struggles with reconstruction and a nuclear crisis. A political stalemate over Kan's departure risks slowing efforts to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the consequent radiation crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima nuclear plant, and could delay steps to tackle structural problems including massive public debt.  

NTPC has been asked to shut down four units of 500MW each at its Talcher super thermal power station in Orissa, India.

Fitch says this is caused by lending constraints laid down by the Reserve Bank of India.

The Development Bank of Japan will extend a $1.24 billion loan to Chubu Electric Power to purchase alternative sources of power.

The 49.5MW Phase I of CPI Xinjiang Mayitasi Wind Power Project was ratified by Xinjiang Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission, which was the first wind power project invested by CPI in Xinjiang.

The 49.5MW Phase I of CPI Xinjiang Mayitasi Wind Power Project was ratified by Xinjiang Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission, which was the first wind power project invested by CPI in Xinjiang.

Phase II of CPI Guangxi Jinzi Mountain Wind Power Project has been ratified by the Development and Reform Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.