Author Archives: Nithin Thomas Prasad
About Nithin Thomas Prasad
Nithin is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Previously with Reuters News, he has covered oil, metals and agricultural commodity markets across global markets. He has also covered refinery and pipeline explosions, oil and gas leaks, Atlantic region hurricane developments, and other natural disasters. Nithin holds a Masters Degree in Applied Economics from Christ University, Bangalore and a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai.
Solar Federation Urges Telangana to Stop Arbitrary Solar Power Curtailment
The National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) has written to the Government of Telangana asking it to address the issue of the state load despatch center (SLDC) haphazardly restricting ...
Now is the Time for Smart Meters in India
The ongoing coronavirus crisis and the poor financial performance of power distribution companies (DISCOMs) have shown that the power sector needs a serious revamp, and smart meters have to become ...
Andhra Pradesh Objects to Amendments Proposed in the Electricity Act
In a letter to the Ministry of Power, the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) has expressed disagreement with the government’s proposed amendments to the Electricity Act. In April, Mercom ...
NTPC Announces Rebate Worth ₹13.63 Billion for DISCOMs
NTPC Limited has agreed to defer the capacity charges and provide rebates to distribution companies (DISCOMs) to the tune of ₹34.27 billion (~$455 million) during the nationwide lockdown. The government-owned ...
Rajasthan Commission Proposes New Business Models for EV Charging Infrastructure
The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) has issued a draft order inviting feedback on its proposal for new business models for setting up public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The ...
India Overtakes Japan as the Fifth Largest Hydropower Generator in the World: IHA Report
The International Hydropower Association (IHA) has released its 2020 Hydropower Status Report, which notes that India overtook Japan as the fifth largest hydropower generator in the world with an installed ...
Haryana Waives RPO Backlog, Imposes Additional Surcharges for Open Access Consumers
The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) has waived off renewable purchase obligation (RPO) backlogs up to 2019 for distribution companies (DISCOMs) in the state and has imposed an additional surcharge ...
Building Energy and Inspired Evolution Launch JV for Renewables in Africa and the Middle East
Building Energy, an Italian renewable company, in partnership with Inspired Evolution, has successfully closed the buy-out of its African and Middle East business and launched Red Rocket, an independent power producer ...
India and Denmark Sign Pact to Work Towards Renewable Capacity Expansion
The Danish Energy Agency has announced that India’s Ministry of Power (MoP) and the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Utilities, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to help India work ...
Solar Federation Asks for Extension of ISTS Charges Waiver for Solar and Wind Projects
The National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) has asked the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to extend the waiver of Interstate Transmission System (ISTS) charges and losses ...
Maharashtra Approves Amended Energy Purchase Agreement for Two Wind Projects
The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has approved the extension of an amended energy purchase agreement (EPA) between Tata Power Company Limited- Distribution (TPC-D) and its wind energy business Tata ...
Emami Group Sells its Solar Segment to Brookfield Asset Management
The Emami Group, a Kolkata-based conglomerate, has sold its solar power business to Canadian Investment Company, Brookfield Asset Management, through a 100% stake sale. While the company confirmed the development ...
Uttar Pradesh DISCOM Asked to Clear Dues for Procuring Power from Bagasse-Based Project
The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has ordered the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) to clear its dues with Kesar Enterprises Limited (KEL) for the procurement of bagasse-based ...
Researchers Announce Cheaper Sodium-ion Battery to Compete with Lithium-ion
Researchers at the Washington State University (WSU) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) announced that they have created a sodium-ion battery that can be made with widely and cheaply available ...
IREDA Has Set Aside ₹100 Billion for Renewable Energy Projects in 2020
Mercom India hosted a webinar on key trends shaping the Indian solar market based on its recently released India Solar Market Update report for the first quarter of 2020. The ...
REMCL Tasked with Setting Up 3 GW of Solar Projects on Vacant Lands of Indian Railways
The Railway Energy Management Limited (REMCL), a subsidiary of RITES Limited, has been assigned the responsibility of setting up 3 GW of solar power projects on vacant lands of the Indian ...
Karnataka Commission Denies Commissioning Extension to Four Solar Projects
The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has passed orders for four solar power developers asking them to pay liquidated damages for delays in project commissioning. In its orders, the KERC ...
Karnataka Commission Asks BESCOM to Pay for Additional Solar Power Supplied by Developer
The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has passed an order directing the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) to pay Walwhan Renewable Energy Limited for the supply of solar power ...
Sri Lanka Extends Bid Submission Deadline for its 150 MW Solar Tender
Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has extended the bid submission deadline of its tender for 150 MW of solar projects to be developed at various locations in the country ...
Hearing on Continued Levy of Safeguard Duty on Solar Imports to be Held on June 11, 2020
The Director-General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) will hold an oral hearing on June 11, 2020, to discuss the continued imposition of safeguard duty (SGD) on the import of solar cells ...
Uttarakhand Floats Tender for Briquetting and Bio-Oil Projects
The Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA) has issued a request for proposal (RfP) seeking developers for briquetting or bio-oil projects based on biomass-based fuels. A briquette is a compressed block ...
COVID Crisis Will Drive the Digital Transformation of Solar Companies: Huawei Interview
Power is an essential service, and the renewable industry has been one of the saviors of the power sector in this crisis. Solar, in particular, has shown that it is ...
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Five Lowest Solar Bids Recorded in 2019 [Infographics]
India’s solar industry is extremely price-sensitive, where the difference of a single penny can make a difference. Over 16 GW of solar projects were auctioned in 2019, and the lowest ...
NHPC to Set Up 205 MW of Solar and Hydro Projects in Ladakh
NHPC Limited plans to set up 155 MW of hydropower and 50 MW of solar projects in the union territory (UT) of Ladakh. In a meeting, A.K. Singh, chairman-cum-managing director, ...
NHPC Diversifies into Solar Power Business
NHPC Limited (Formerly National Hydroelectric Power Corporation), announced that its board of directors had approved a proposal to diversify the company’s business to include solar power projects. The hydropower generator ...
