CLP to develop 6th Indian wind project

CLP will expand its renewable portfolio to approximately 450MW with a 99MW wind farm in Tamil Nadu, India.

Located in Theni in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, it will be China Light and Power's sixth Indian wind farm and will make CLP one of the largest wind energy developers in India with approximately 450MW. This investment will bring the total Group renewable investments to over 1,300 MW, around 10 percent of the total generating capacity of its portfolio.

CLP entered an agreement with major wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Technology India Private Limited to develop the green-field project. Construction is planned to commence in the fourth quarter of 2009 and will complete in the first quarter of 2010. The wind farm will involve the building of 60 wind turbines of 1,650KW capacity each.

CLP expects the project to qualify as a Clean Development Mechanism project under the Kyoto Protocol, which will add to the financial viability of the project.

"The Theni project underpins its contribution to the Group's target of having 20 percent of our generating capacity from non-carbon emitting power across the Asia Pacific region by 2020, an interim target outlined in our Climate Vision 2050. This investment reinforces CLP's position as a leading foreign power producer of clean energy in India," said CLP Group's Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Brandler.

According to Rajiv Mishra, Managing Director of CLP India, the new wind farm development has been encouraged by the positive wind power policy implemented by the State of Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

"The state of Tamil Nadu is the pioneering state for wind energy in India. The new policy and the renewed ‘Renewables Purchase Obligation’ targets are very encouraging for Independent Power Project (IPP) developer like CLP," Mishra stated.