India - Gujarat's Samana set to become wind power hub

Samana in Gujarat's Rajkot district is set to become a major hub of wind power energy in the country as energy companies like China Light Power (CLP) and Tata Power have pledged to invest up to Rs.8.15 billion ($189.5 million) in different projects in the area.

CLP, through its India subsidiary CLP India, is investing close to Rs.5 billion for installing 126 wind turbines in Samana that will generate 100.8 MW power. Tata Power has installed wind turbines in the same area for generating 50 MW power at a cost of Rs.3.15 billion.

Both projects are expected to become operational by early next year, according to government sources. The Gujarat government, which is banking heavily on wind power, has identified Samana as an ideal location for installation of 450 turbines that can generate a total of 360 MW. To encourage investment in wind energy development in the state, the government has introduced a raft of incentives including a higher wind energy tariff.

Sources in Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) confirmed that Samana is the location for both CLP and Tata Power projects. Samana is a large area and could accommodate more than one project, the sources said. Samana has a high tension transmission grid and electricity generated by wind turbines can be fed into it. For this purpose, a substation at Sadodar has been installed.

Both projects are being executed by Enercon Ltd, a joint venture between Enercon of Germany and Mumbai-based Mehra group. Both CLP and Tata Power are also setting up wind power projects in Karnataka. While the CLP is putting up a project at Saundatti, Tata Power's project will come up at Gadag, about 80 km from Hubli.