Author Archives: Soumik Dutta
About Soumik Dutta
Soumik is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Prior to joining Mercom, Soumik was a correspondent for UNI, New Delhi covering the Northeast region for seven years. He has also worked as an Asia Correspondent for Washington DC-based Hundred Reporters. He has contributed as a freelancer to several national and international digital publications with a focus on data-based investigative stories on environmental corruption, hydro power projects, energy transition and the circular economy. Soumik is an Economics graduate from Scottish Church College, Calcutta University.
Maharashtra Tenders 1 GW of Solar with a Ceiling Tariff of ₹2.80/kWh
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), has issued a request for selection (RfS), calling for the purchase of power on a long-term basis from 1,000 MW of grid-connected ...
Uttar Pradesh Announces Two New Distributed Solar Project Tenders
While one tender would cover various primary schools in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, the other calls for projects at sites decided by Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development ...
Uttar Pradesh DISCOMs Ordered to Submit Roadmap for Solar and Non-Solar RPO Fulfilment
The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has ordered its electricity distribution company to respond to its suo moto proceedings about meeting renewable purchase obligation (RPO) targets as per regulations ...
Madhya Pradesh Issues EoI to Set Up 500 MW of Energy Storage Project
The Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited (MPPMCL) has issued an expression of interest (EoI) inviting energy storage companies for setting up a 500 MW project in Madhya Pradesh. Bidders ...
SECI’s 750 MW Rajasthan Solar Tender Oversubscribed by 350 MW
A 750 MW solar tender floated by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has been oversubscribed by 350 MW today. A SECI official confirmed the closing of bid submissions ...
SECI Extends Bid Submission Deadline for its 2 GW Solar Tender
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has extended its bid submission deadline for the selection of solar power developers for 2,000 MW of grid-connected solar PV projects in India ...
88 Solar Projects Likely to be Added to Vietnam’s National Grid by June 2019
State-owned Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has been accelerating the completion of 61 solar power projects so that by the end of June 2019, a total of 88 solar power projects can ...
Farmers in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha Region to Soon Get Solar Pumps
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has initiated the supply of solar pumps to farmers in the state’s Vidarbha region under the Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Pump Yojana (MSKY) ...
Global Module Suppliers Trina and Canadian Solar Announce World Record Efficiencies
Global PV company Trina Solar has announced that its state key laboratory of PV science and technology in China has set a new world record of achieving high efficiency of 24.58% ...
New Operational Solar and Wind Assets Push Adani Green’s Revenue Up by 39% in FY2019
Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL), the renewable energy arm of Adani Group, has announced its operational and financial performance for the financial year (FY) 2019 and the fourth quarter ending ...
Electric Scooter Manufacturer Ather Energy Raises $51 Million in Funding
Ather Energy, India’s intelligent electric scooter manufacturer, raised $51 million in its latest round of funding, led by Flipkart’s co-founder Sachin Bansal’s investment of $32 million. Ather Energy was one ...
Udaipur Floats Tender for 300 Solar Pumps
The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) of Udaipur has issued a tender for 300 solar-based borewell water pumping systems. To qualify, a bidder must either be an indigenous solar photovoltaic ...
Another Bid Deadline Extension for SECI’s 97.5 MW Rooftop Solar Tender
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has announced yet another bid extension date for its 97.5 MW grid-connected rooftop solar tender. The tender is for setting up grid-connected rooftop ...
Airports Authority of India Issues Tender for a 300 kW Solar PV Project at Prayagraj
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued a notice inviting contractors for the operation and annual comprehensive maintenance of a 300 kW solar PV power project. The tender is ...
SECI Again Extends Bid Submission Deadline for 500 MW of Solar Projects in Tamil Nadu
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has once again extended the bid submission deadline for the tender to set up 500 MW (Phase I) of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) ...
SECI’s 20 MW Floating Solar in Lakshadweep With 60 MW of Battery Storage Gets Bid Extension
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has notified an extension in the bid submission deadline for 20 MW (AC) floating solar PV power project with 60 MWh Battery Energy ...
Maharashtra Commission Approves Signing of Long Term PPAs for 1,000 MW of Solar Projects
The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has in an order dated May 27, 2019, approved the signing of power purchase agreements (PPAs) by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) ...
Senegal Set to Commission its First Large Scale Wind Project of 158.7 MW
Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye (PETN), a partnership between the Senegalese National Electricity Corporation (Senelec) and Amsterdam-based Lekela, is Senegal’s first large scale wind energy project. This is a critical part ...
Kimberly-Clark to Power its Singapore Huggies Factory from Solar
U.S.-based personal consumer items manufacturer Kimberly-Clark has switched to solar power through the installation of a rooftop PV installation that will generate nearly 15% of the electricity consumed by its ...
MNRE Cancels Proposal for Central Financial Assistance to 53 Small Hydro Projects
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a notification announcing the cancellation of 53 proposals submitted to the Ministry for central financial assistance (CFA) for small hydropower ...
ADB Lends $4 Million in Loan to Afghanistan’s 15 MW Solar Project
A $4 million loan agreement has been signed between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Barakat Kandahar Solar Energy (BKSE). BKSE is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with its majority ...
Pharmaceutical Major Cipla Set to Acquire 26% Stake in AMP Solar’s SPV at ₹129 Million
A filing made at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) states that Mumbai-based global pharmaceutical major Cipla Limited has signed an agreement to acquire 26% stake on a fully diluted basis ...
ADB Provides $750 Million Loan to Indian Railways for Transitioning to Electric Power
The Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) has signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the electrification of railway tracks. This initiative is part of a broad modernization ...
Pennar Was the Leading Solar Mounting Structure Supplier in 2018 Followed by SNS and Ganges
Pennar Industries was the top supplier of solar mounting structures in India, both in cumulative terms and in 2018, according to Mercom’s India 2019 Solar Market Leaderboard. SNS Corporation and ...
Maharashtra Commission Asks MSEDCL to Invite Bids for Bagasse Projects with Expired EPAs
Recently, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) had filed a petition before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for the approval of procurement of bagasse-based co-generation power for ...
