PNC: Interesting News from Power Sector�PNC:Aperiodic (aniyatkalik): from 20^th May - 18^th June 2024

News Hadlines:

• AI Power Demd soars to historic 250 GW high & Recent Developments
• Developments in State Power Sectors
• GOM Halts the Smart Meter Installation Program
• NDA Cabinet portfolios allocated; Puri retains Petroleum Ministry, Khattar to be Power Minister
• GOI approves Rs 200 CR fund for “Green H2 valley” projects in four states
• SEBI imposes Rs 35 Lakh penalty on PTC India’s Pawan Singh, Rajib Kumar Mishra for corporate governence lapses
• OCCRP Report alleges huge scam in the supply of imported coal
• Gratitude: A beautiful anecdote which may change you!!!

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Compliled by: Vijay L Sonavane

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All info in this PPT is collected from various open sources available on the internet & News papers. Opinions expressed/ remarks, are my own views, which are based on my LIMITED EXPOSURE. You may not agree with my opinion. I respect your views/ opinons

Evening Peak Demd met (GW) & Energy Met (MU); �IEX MCV (market Clearing Volume) (MU) , MCP (Market Clearing Price) (PSPU)

Evening Peak Demd met (GW) & Energy Met (MU); �IEX MCV (Market Clearing Volume) (MU) , MCP (Market Clearing Price) (PSPU)

Note: On 29^th May 2024 Evening Peak Demand was 227.354 GW (highest so far)

Energy met On that daty was 5408 MU (highest in a day so far)

171 MU at MCP of 483 PSPU were traded at IEX under Day ahead Market

119 MU at Avg rate of 483 PSPU were traded at IEX (TT: 290 MU: 5.36% of TTL)

AI Power Demd soars to historic 250 GW high (31/05)

• AI Demd scaled a new record for the 2^nd day in a row at 250 GW on 30/05, as much of Northern India again grappled with Heatwave conditions.
• On 29/05, peak Demd hit 246 GW surpassing the previous high of 243 GW recorded in Sept 23, as temp was near 50 degrees Celsius. Growing Demd follows increasing use of cooling appliances amid rising temps
• Moreover, AI non-solar (night) Demd met has also touched an all time high of 234.3 GW on 29th May, reflecting the combined impact of weather-related loads & growing IND & Resi consumption
• DEL recorded a max temp on Thursday at 45.6 degrees Celsius, 5.2 notches above normal, according to weather department.
• On 30/05, NR DEMD reached an all-time high of 86.7 GW, while WR also touched a record of 74.8 GW.
• THM Gen hit an all-time high, a peak of 176 GW, especially during non-solar hours. DEL witnessed the highest ever demand on 29/05 at 8,302 MW.

Peak still ahead:

• India is expected to witness a peak demand of up to 260 GW in the ongoing summers. Amid the surging power Demd, GOI has decided to ramp up capacity addition of THM plants & also operate all gas-based power plants at full capacity.

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NTPC FY24: Gen surges to 422 BU, �profits climb to ₹21,332 CR (25/05)

• NTPC Group reported a nearly 6% increase in annual Gen to a record 422 BU in FY 23-24, up from 399 BU in FY 22-23.
• NTPC’s standalone gen also rose by about 5% to 362 BU.
• NTPC’s coal stns with 76,015 MW IC achieved a PLF of 77.25%, higher than the National AVG PLF of 69.49%.
• NTPC’s TTL standalone income dipped slightly to ₹1,65,707 CR in FY24 from ₹ 1,67,724 CR₹18,079 crore from ₹17,197 CR in FY 22-23,
• NTPC’s profit after tax increased by approximately 5% to ₹18,079 CR from ₹17,197 CR in FY23.
• NTPC group’s TTL income grew by around 2% to ₹1,81,166 CR, with profit after tax jumping 24.60% to ₹21,332 CR from ₹17,121 CR

Peak Demd bounces back to 241 GW on 4^th June (06/06)

• Peak Demd bounced back to nearly 241 GW on Tuesday (04/06) after sliding for two straight days from 245 GW level recorded on 01/06
• Peak Demd touched an all-time high of 250 GW on May 31, 2024, breaking the previous record of 243.27 GW in Sept 2023 (due to HI Humidity levels)
• Peak Demd met or the highest supply in a day was recorded at 245.14 GW on June 1, 225.90 GW on June 2, 236.37 GW on June 3 & 240.89 GW on June 4.
• Earlier in May, MOP projected a peak Demd of 235 GW during daytime & 225 GW during evening hours & 240 GW during daytime & 235 GW during evening hours for June 2024.
• MOP has also projected that peak Demd may hit the 260 GW mark during this summer season.
• The experts are of the view that peak Demd & consumption, would be steady during June as there would be continuous requirements for cooling appliances like coolers & ACs during this summer season.
• According to IMD, Monsoon has already hit Kerala coast on May 30 & covered the entire Northeast, Kerala, TN & parts of AP, Kar, Goa & TEL.
• Experts said that power Demd would peak again in coming months due to sultry weather conditions after Monsoon covers the entire season with excessive use of cooling appliances, especially ACs/coolers.

India's coal production rises 7.4% in April to 78.69 MMT India's coal import rises 13% to 26 MMT in April 24

• AI DOM coal production rose 7.41% to 78.69 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) in April 24. It was 73.26 MMT in APR 23
• During APR 24, Coal India Ltd (CIL) achieved production of 61.78 MMT, registering a growth of 7.31% compared APR 23 when it was 57.57 MMT.
• Additionally, coal production by captive/others in APR stood at 11.43 MMT, showing a growth of 12.99% from APR 23, which was 10.12 MMT.
• AI coal dispatch in April 24 rose to 85.10 MMT against 80.23 MMT in April 23
• Coal India accounts for over 80 % of DOM coal output.
• India's coal import rose by 13.2% to 26.10 MMT in April 2024 as buyers took fresh positions amid early onset of summer,against import of 23.05 MMT coal in APR 2023. Coal imports in April24 were up by 8.93% as against March 24 when imports stood at 23.96 MMT.
• Non-coking coal imports stood at 17.40 MMT against 15.15 MMT in APR 23. Coking coal import was 4.97 MMT against 4.77 MMT.
• India's coal import rose by 7.7% to 268.24 MMT in FY 2023-24 driven by softness in seaborne prices & likelihood of increase in power demand during summer. Coal import was 249.06 MT in FY 2022-23.

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AI Coal output hits 83.91 MMT in May 2024, up 10.15% YoY

• In May 2024, India’s coal production reached 83.91 MMT, exhibiting a growth rate of 10.15% compared to May 2023, (76.18 MMT)
• During May 25, Coal India Limited (CIL) achieved a coal production of 64.40 MMT, marking a growth of 7.46% compared to May 23 (59.93 MMT)
• Additionally, coal production by captive & other entities in May 2024 stood at 13.78 MMT, reflecting a growth of 32.76% from May 23, which was 10.38 MMT.
• India’s overall coal dispatches for May 2024 reached 90.84 MMT, up by 10.35% compared to May 23 when it was recorded at 82.32 MMT.
• During May 2024, CIL dispatched 69.08 MMT coal, with a growth of 8.50% compared to May 2023 when it was 63.67 MMT.
• Coal dispatch by captive & other entities in May was recorded at 16 MMT , reflecting a growth of 29.33% from May 23, which was 12.37 MMT.
• Total coal stock with coal companies stands at 96.48 MMT. The coal stock lying with Coal India is 83.01 MMT, while captive & other companies hold 8.28 MMT.
• Ministry of Coal confirmed that coal stocks at THM plants remain robust, ensuring a steady power suppl. Current coal reserves at these plants exceed 45 MMT, which is 30% higher than on 1^st Jume 2023. These reserves are sufficient to meet the power sector’s needs for next 19 days.

Rail coal freight volume rises 9.3% on summer Demd pull (06/06)

• With the summer heat reaching record highs in northern India in May, Indian Railways ferried 72 MMT i.e. 9.3% more coal than May 23, & freight volumes for all commodities on RLY network grew 3.9% in May 24
• A total of 139.16 MMT of freight was loaded in May 2024 compared to 128.3 MMT in April, up 8.46% month-on-month,
• IR earned a freight revenue of Rs 15,230.9 CR in May 24, up 8.2% sequentially. In May 2023, IR had earned Rs 14,641 CR, a 4% increase in freight revenues.
• Meanwhile, it also saw higher passenger movement on account of recently ended LS elections & Summer rush, for which IR is running 10,000 additional trains.
• Coal volumes at most THM plants have been getting replenished at a steady pace, which is largely due to better logistics planning before the onset of summer, & full commissioning of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, which connects Punjab with Bihar & covers some of the biggest chokepoints in the Indian rail network.
• Data for the FY shows that cumulative freight loading in first two months (April & May) of 2024-25 is 267.5 MMT — 2.7% higher than Apr-May 23

IEX sees 28.9% surge in trading volume, records �10,633 MU in May 2024 (06/06)

• Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) achieved monthly overall volume of 10,633 MU, in May'24, marking a 28.9% Y-O-Y increase.
• Electricity volumes at 9,568 MU, increased 21% YoY. RE certificates (REC) at 1,055 MU, increased 640.3% YoY.
• At Rs. 165 per certificate, REC market recorded an all-time low price in the trading session held on 29 May 2024. These prices provide an opportunity to obligated entities (DISCOMS & Captive PPs) to meet their RPOs, & voluntary customers to meet their sustainability aspirations.
• Proactive measures taken by Govt & Regulators, including the sale of surplus requisitioned power on PEXs, increased fuel supply & ensuring higher availability of Gen units led to an increased sell liquidity on PEXs which kept the prices under control on PEX. Therefore, despite the increase in electricity consumption the Market Clearing Price (MCP) in Day Ahead Market (DAM) during May '24 was Rs. 5.30 PU, lower by more than 20% as compared to prices discovered under bilateral contracts.
• AI energy consumption reached 156.3 BU in May 24, representing 15% increase on a Y-O-Y basis.
• Notably, on May 30, 2024, India witnessed an all-time high peak demand of 250 GW along with the highest ever single day energy consumption of 5,466 MU.

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ELECTRICITY MARKET: DAY- AHEAD, TERM- AHEAD & REAL-TIME MARKET

• DAM volume increased to 4,371 MU in May'24, from 4,066 MU in May'23, registering an increase of 7.5% YoY.
• RTM reported highest ever monthly traded volume in May'24 which increased to 3,352 MU in May '24, from 2,424 MU in May'23, registering an increase of 38.3% YoY.
• On an AVG more than 100 MUs were traded daily in the RTM in May'24. Consistent growth of RTM segment is a testimony that Discoms & INDs are efficiently balancing their Demd-supply on a real-time basis.
• Day Ahead Contingency & Term-Ahead Market (TAM), comprising of contingency, daily & weekly and monthly contracts up to 3 months, traded 1,221 MU during May'24, higher by 15.4 % on YoY basis.

GREEN MARKET: GREEN DAY-AHEAD & GREEN TERM-AHEAD MARKET

• IEX Green Market, comprising G-DAM & G-TAM segments, achieved 622.2 MU volume during May'24 as compared to 357.7 MU in May'23, registering an increase of 73.9% YoY.
• G-DAM achieved 574.7 MU volume during May 24, with a weighted average price of Rs 3.86 PU G-TAM achieved 47.5 MU volume in May '24 with AVG monthly price of Non-Solar- Rs 8.06 PU.

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RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATE MARKET (REC MARKET)

• A total of 10.55 lac RECs (equivalent to 1,055 MU) were traded in trading sessions held on 8^th & 29th May'24, at a clearing price of Rs. 185/REC & Rs. 165/REC respectively.
• Next REC trading sessions at PEXS are scheduled on 12th & 26th June'24.

ENERGY SAVING CERTIFICATES (ESCERTS)

• During May'24, 9,994 ESCerts (equivalent to ~10 MU) were traded on IEX, at the floor price of Rs. 2,165 per ESCert

GOM Halts the Smart Meter Installation Program (16/06)

• Maha Govt decided to halt the plan to install smart meters for Dom consumers. Plan has been put off, not dropped, as 1^st priority is to replace its feeder meters
• GOM’s decision to install Smart meters has met with stiff opposition from various quarters & could snowball into a major issue ahead of State Assembly Election. Domestic users spared of smart meters, for now until apprehensions among common people are not resolved. Until then no further action will be taken in the matter. Only IND meters will be replaced to prevent losses
• Smart meters are being installed as part of GOI’s RDSS scheme.
• “Initially, all feeder meters (27,826) across Maha will be replaced,
• followed by 4.05 lakh DT meters,
• old meters at Govt offices & quarters (20.49L),
• HT consumers (23,086) & new connections,”
• said MSEDCL official, adding that DOM & Comm consumers would be covered thereafter but the schedule has not been decided yet.
• MSEDCL has awarded tenders for installing 2.41 CR smart meters across Maha.
• Montecarlo: 30.30 lakh smart meters for Nagpur, Chandrapur and Gondia zones.
• Adani: 1.33 CR meters to Bhandup, Kalyan, Konkan, Kolhapur, Baramati & Pune zone (55%)
• NCC: 56.64 lakh to Nashik, Jalgaon, Latur, Nanded & Aurangabad zones.
• Genus: 21.76 lakh to Akola and Amravati zones.
• Activists, social & political organizations have opposed the move to install smart meters claiming thousands of CRs will be spent on the work will be eventually recovered from consumers by raising power tariff. Later, many citizens too started opposing the move.

NDA Cabinet portfolios allocated; Puri retains Petroleum Ministry, Khattar to be Power Minister (11/06)

• Energy sector Ministries saw shades of both continuity & change vis-à-vis the previous Govt, with Hardeep Singh Puri retaining the Petroleum portfolio, while Power, RE & Coal ministries getting new ministers at the helm.
• Former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar (70 years, Graduate from DEL University) is the new Power minister
• Pralhad Joshi has been entrusted with the MNRE.
• Coal portfolio has been allocated to G Kishan Reddy.
• Khattar & Joshi replace RK Singh (Rtd IAS), the outgoing Minister of Power & MNRE,, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Arrah in Bihar by over 60,000 votes to Sudama Prasad of CPI (M)
• Until a few months ago, Khattar served as Haryana CM, while Joshi handled coal, mines, & parliamentary affairs portfolios at the Centre in Modi 2.0. Reddy was heading ministries of Tourism, culture, & development of NE region.
• Ministers of State (MoS) in these ministries are ,
• Shripad Yesso Naik will handle Power & MNRE,
• Suresh Gopi will serve in the petroleum Ministry.
• Satish Chandra Dubey is the new MoS for Coal.

Work cut out for Power Ministry in NDA 3.0 (12/06)

• Anujesh Dwivedi, Partner at Deloitte India, outlined several steps critical to reaching the 500 GW RE target. "To accelerate RE capacity addition, achieving the goal of 500 GW RE capacity by 2030, will necessitate additional measures beyond current interventions," Dwivedi noted. He emphasized the need for
• Corporate RE procurement thro’ Green Open Access,
• Continue support for RE manufacturing,
• Dedicated programs for new solar applications.
• Implementaton of Distributed RE Obligation (DREO) & facilitating easier access to green finance were highighted as Key measures
• He mentioned importance of investments in Dist networks to manage the rising frequency of extreme weather events & downstream Dist network overloading.
• He also stressed the need for grid automation to integrate large-scale distributed RE & EVs effectively. "An announcement has been made for addition of 80,000 MW of new coal-based THM plants by 31-32” he added, indicating upcoming implementation measures.
• On the service front, Dwivedi suggested a transformation in customer service orientation of State Discoms proposing a Reform akin to the Passport Seva Kendra model to enhance customer interaction

• At a broad level, accelerating energy transition, striking the delicate & critical balance between fossil fuels & green energy sources, pushing new & future fuels like green H2, raising Dom energy production while cutting costly energy imports, ensuring energy affordability amid global volatility, & spurring private sector investment in various segments are likely to be the themes for these ministries’ efforts over the next few years. Given India’s high & rapidly rising energy Demd, the work these ministries do is critical to the economy.
• Work for Power ministry & MNRE appears to be cut out: setting up extensive energy Storage infrastructure, building adequate THM & NUC baseload capacity, raising annual RE capacity, pushing for Reforms in Dist sector, & effectively implement schemes that facilitate & incentivise adoption of clean energy. Coal Ministry will be expected to focus on raising India’s Dom coal output further to facilitate ever-growing demand for power.
• Energy Ministries—mainly through the public sector Cos under their control—have already been working to rapidly develop a green H2 ecosystem in India with a common aim to make the country a global production & export hub for what is seen as a zero-emission fuel with massive potential to change the global energy landscape. Efforts, including pushing for localisation of equipment supply chain & Dom manufacturing of electrolysers, are expected to only get accelerated over coming years.

Separate Ministers for Power & RE: Analysts see pitfalls

• New coalition Govt’s decision of assigning Power & RE ministries to two different ministers: Manohar Lal Khattar & Pralhad Joshi respectively, might pose some Regulatory challenges, & have a bearing on composite energy planning, industry experts say.
• Earlier Govt kept all sources of Convetional power & RE & related policy issues under one Minister, albeit with separate ministries.
• However, going forward, RE sector would be dealt with separately, while Conv Power sector will be coupled with T&D segment. This may also be in keeping with the objective of putting the capacity addition in all segments of the value chain on the fast track but integration of the added capacity to the Grid will require synergy between the two Minstries
• It is too soon to say whether it will work out or not but efficiency of policy making & decisions will depend upon how smooth is the coordination between the two ministries,” said an analyst
• As Govt intends to increase the share of RE & integrate it into the grid for efficient supply, the two ministries will have to work closely in determining laws & procedures. (which might creat some problems)

• MOP & MNRE have become two sides of the same coin. To match with the ever-growing power Demd there is a need to create synergy between the two ministries by keeping them under a common control,” said Shriprakash Rai, CRO) AMPIN Energy Transition.
• He highlighted that such an arrangement has passed the test of time & yielded remarkable results. Going forward, if the trend of capacity addition into grid thro’ RE is to continue, the synergy will have to follow.
• On the contrary, the move should not impact THM Cos which are foraying into RE sector as they have independent PPAS & will not be interdependent, the analyst said.
• IND is optimistic of policy continuity & increasing investment opportunities in sector.
• IND anticipates that new Govt will continue its focus on RE with the same vigor & expect it will continue with the pace of RE development. During this term we expect more focus on C&I segment thro’ open access based RE projects by encouraging states to adopt green energy OA rules & interpret it harmoniously for smooth implementation,” Rai said.
• In power sector, the IND seeks more work in the domain of T&D. Moreover, payment discipline brought about by strenuous efforts would need to be maintained, so that COMM viability across the value chain is not undermined again. While key allies of NDA like TDP promising free power, it will be incumbent on the Minister to ensure that subsidies are released by the state Govt on time.

AAP Govt likely to approach SC for permission to process file for DERC pro-tem members’ appointment (10/06)

• DEL’s AAP Govt is likely to approach Supreme Court for its permission to process the file for appointment of pro-tem members to DERC,
• DERC is a three-member body, that includes a Chairperson. The posts of two members are lying vacant since last year.
• A committee formed by Supreme Court has shortlisted the pro-tem members but their appointments were delayed as the Model Code of Conduct was in place for LS polls & because of the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in March 24
• The file for appointment of pro-tem members is required to be sent by CM for approval of Delhi Lt Governor. As Kejriwal is in jail, file is pending, & Delhi Govt wants to seek SC's permission so that the Power Minister forwards it directly for the Lt Governor's approval, the sources said.
• SC in Aug 23 appointed retired justice Jayant Nath as pro-tem Chairperson of DERC after the AAP & DEL Lt Governor failed to come to a consensus on a candidate for the post.
• On the directions of SC, a selection committee comprising current pro-tem Chairperson Nath, ATE Chairperson retired justice Ramesh Ranganathan, & retired justice Asha Menon was formed in Nov 23 to select 2 pro-tem members

(That is how the GOVT functions, some posts are filled overnght & some are delayed for over years as the PROPER favorable person is not found)

UP power station's failure led to outage in Delhi (12/06)

• Reeling under a double whammy of temps over 42 degrees Celsius & a water crisis, DEL saw a massive power outage that lasted nearly 2 hours on Tuesday (11/06) AN after a snag at a S/s of PGCIL in UP
• DEL Govt officials said” Several parts of East, Southeast & Central Delhi: including water treatment plants (WTPs) were affected. There was a power outage in many parts of Delhi from 2.11 pm. This is due to a fire at PGCIL’s Mandola in UP. Delhi receives 1,200 MW from this S/s”
• However, UP Govt officials denied there was any fire. There was a spark in one of the isolators of S/s system which caused the problem in the electricity supply. It happened around 2.10 pm & it was fixed by 3 pm. Supply has been restored & around 1,400 MW is being supplied to DEL from Mandola S/s in Ghaziabad,”
• Delhi Transco Ltd maintains HT Trans & Discoms maintain power distribution to consumers. Delhi has very limited power production… Delhi receives electricity from different States through NTPC & PGCIL… & Delhi Transco Ltd transfers power thro’ HT wires situated in different areas & finally, consumers get electricity thro’ three Discoms in DEL.

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Waaree Energies Supplies 68 MW Solar Modules for Mahagenco Project (12/06)

• Waaree Energies Ltd has completed delivery of 68 MW of its Bi-55 bifacial dual-glass framed solar modules to Gensol Engineering Ltd. These modules, delivered in March 2024, are currently being commissioned for Mahagenco solar PV project.
• “The deployment of Waaree’s bifacial modules is expected to enhance Mahagenco project’s energy output, & contribute to region’s RE capacity. We believe that these modules, with their advanced technology & design, ensure long-term durability & enhanced performance, making them ideal for large-scale solar projects,” stated Waaree Energies Ltd.
• Waaree Energies is India’s largest manufacturer of solar PV modules with an aggregate installed capacity of 12 GW, as of June 30, 2023. It has 4 solar module manufacturing facilities in India, with international presence.

SC grants interim bail to Chhattisgarh businessman in money laundering case (20/05)

• Supreme Court granted interim bail to a Chhattisgarh-based businessman, Sunil Kumar Agrawal, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering case involving illegal levy on coal transportation.
• ED investigation relates to an alleged scam in which an illegal levy of Rs 25 was being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians & middlemen.
• Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi & Vikas Pahwa appeared for Agrawal in the case
• ED, in its second supplementary charge sheet, alleged that IAS officer Ranu Sahu, who served as Collector Korba Dist during the period of the scam, facilitated the collection of illegal levy amounts from coal transporters & Dist Mineral Fund (DMF) contracts by Suryakant Tiwari & his associates, & received huge bribes from them. The money laundering case stems from an IT Dept complaint that was registered following raids made by IT in June 22.

• A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant & Vishwanathan granted six weeks to ED to find out the status of the investigation & place on record the additional affidavit along with the relevant material.
• The Apex court noted that as on date there is no predicate offence (underlying criminal activity that leads to illegal gains) under Sec 384 of IPC against the petitioner.
• The petitioner has already undergone incarceration for about 19 months. The petitioner is not named as accused in FIR or the charge sheet ..
• The petitioner is directed to be released on interim bail subject to his furnishing bail bonds to the satisfaction of the Special Court, Raipur, Chhattisgarh. SC was hearing a plea filed by Agrawal challenging the Chhattisgarh HC order, which rejected his bail on April 8.

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(IT raids in June 22. Agarwal in Custody from Nov 2022. BJP Govt in Chattisgad from Dec 2023. Rohatgi fights cases for BJP in SC This case of Agarwal also faught by him & ED has submitted suplimenatry charge sheet in which Burocrats’ names were included, probably diluting chagres on Agarwal: so it is anexample how ICE works under RULERS.

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GOI approves Rs 200 CR fund for “Green H2 valley” projects in four states (03/06)

• India has been making consistent strides in kickstarting the green H2 sector in the domestic market both at Central & State level, from increasing Budgetary allocation for green H2 this year to state Govts rolling out their own policies to encourage the nascent industry.
• Continuing its focus on this green molecule, GOI has approved Rs 200-CR fund for setting up Green H2 valley projects in four states.
• Dept of Science & Tech (DST), GOI has approved funding of Rs 50 CR each for four upcoming green H2 valley projects based on the merits & preparedness of recommended clusters (1 each in Kerala, Pune, Bhubaneshwar, & Jodhpur)
• Kerala H2 valley innovation cluster (HVIC) will produce H2 thro’ biomass & electrolyser pathways & will be targeting mobility sphere, specifically marine sector & roadways.
• Bhubaneswar-HVIC plans to produce H2 thro’ the electrolyser mode & will be targeting steel & mobility sectors.
• Jodhpur-HVIC will be producing H2 biomass & electrolyser methods. Targeting steel & mobility sectors.
• Pune-HVIC will take the bioethanol & electrolyzer track of H2 production & plans to target the fine chemicals & mobility IND

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Kerala gets fund approval for Green H2 Valley project (01/06)

• Kerala, which has set ambitious targets for green H2 production & export, has received funding approval for its green H2 valley project from the Dept of Science & Tech (DST), GOI.
• Expert panel committee completed the review of DPR for H2 Valley Innovation Cluster (HVIC) project proposal on 8 March, 2024 & recommended the proposal for financial support, which the DST has considered.
• Kerala aims to establish 2 green H2 Valleys in Kochi & Thiruvananthapuram, following a proposal submitted to DST last year. DST had called for proposals from agencies to create H2 valleys as part of Mission Innovation, a global initiative involving 23 countries & European Commission. This initiative focuses on driving research & investment to make clean energy affordable & accessible worldwide.
• Primary objective of H2 valleys is to enhance research, innovation, & capabilities of scientific & IND stakeholders. Additionally, the project aims to demonstrate clean H2 solutions for potential deployment at local, regional, & national levels.

GAIL's 10 MW Green H2 plant in MP inaugurated (27/05)

• GAIL (India) Ltd's maiden green H2 plant at Vijaipur in MP has been commissioned, making a major step for India's largest Natural Gas T&D firm's foray into new & alternate energy.
• The 10-MW Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyser for green-H2 producing unit Vijaipur complex has been imported from Canada.
• Besides sourcing RE thro’ OA, GAIL is also setting up 20 MW Solar power plants at Vijaipur (both ground mounted & floating) to meet the requirement of green power for 10 MW PEM Electrolyzer.
• The plant will produce about 4.3 Tonnes of Green H2 per day, with a purity of about 99.999% by volume. It uses electricity produced from solar energy, to split water to produce green H2.
• Plant is in line with National Green H2 mission, which has set out a goal of 5 MT of annual green H2 production by 2030.
• "Initially H2 produced from this unit shall be used as a fuel along with natural gas for captive purpose in various processes & equipment running in the existing plant at Vijaipur," it said. "Further, this H2 is planned to be dispensed to retail customers in the nearby geographies, transported thro’ high pressure cascades."
• While GAIL is blending H2 with natural gas on an experimental basis in Indore in its CGD (City Gas Distribution) network to test its success, it aims to escalate blending ratios with the necessary approvals based on the test results.
• Current Regulations provide for blending only 5% H2 with natural gas. GAIL is conducting joint studies with Engineers India Ltd & IIT Kanpur to further blend H2 with natural gas.

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NTPC issues tender for 1.15 MW RT solar project (10/06)

• NTPC Ltd has issued a request for proposals for 1,153 kW grid-connected RT solar project. The project will be situated in Maha for Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
• Project involves installation of solar PV systems on RTs of various ICMR & other Govt buildings. These systems must be placed in areas free from shadows to ensure max power Gen for each building.
• The final capacity of each project will be decided thro’ detailed engineering evaluations & approved RT design. The winning bidder will handle the design, engineering, testing, & all related activities, including an initial visual assessment of the roof, water, electricity, and security arrangements, as well as determining the optimal capacity for the solar projects. The developer will also be responsible for O&M for a period of five years. The bid submission deadline is June 26, 2024.

JSW Energy commences construction of 1 GWh BESS project (11/06)

• JSW Energy has announced the development of the largest commercial-scale green H2 project in India & first in country for making green steel.
• JSW has initiated construction activities for its Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project marking its foray into energy storage services.
• JSW has achieved significant milestones in the green H2 space. These include signing a 7 years green H2 supply agreement with JSW Steel Limited for 3,800 tonnes/annum (TPA), along with associated green O2.
• JSW has been allotted a capacity of 6,800 TPA under the Strategic Interventions for Green H2 Transition (SIGHT) program by SECI Ltd.
• MOU has also been signed with JSW Steel to supply additional 85,000 to 90,000 TPA of green H2, along with 720,000 TPA of green O2, progressively by 2030.

Non-payment of dues: Adani Mumbai begins power disconnection (15/06)

• Adani Electricity Mumbai (AEML) has begun a power disconnection drive against 1,100 residents of suburban Chembur's Siddharth Colony over non-payment of dues. Nearly 100 customers with unpaid dues faced action on 12/06, AEML said in a statement on Friday.
• In a statement, AEML said over the years, residents were promised by prospective realty developers that their power bills will be taken care of, due to which they stopped payment.
• However, in 2019, an understanding was reached following a mass disconnection drive but past liabilities continued to be unpaid, it said, adding that at present 70% of residents in the colony have become regular paying customers. The statement also said the defaulters' consumption is high with multiple ACs, TVs & other appliances working in the homes.
• It also said that some of the houses where power was disconnected have resorted to electricity theft following the action, due to which AEML has started a vigilance drive in the area. AEML also claimed that its field workers regularly face physical intimidation & resistance while performing their duties.

SEBI imposes Rs 35 Lakh penalty on PTC India’s Pawan Singh, Rajib Kumar Mishra for corporate governence lapses

• Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) imposed a penalty of Rs 35 lakh on PTC India Financial Services’ (PFS) Chairman Rajib Kumar Mishra (Rs 25 Lakh) & its former MD & CEO Chief Pawan Singh (Rs 10 Lakh) for alleged lapses in corporate governance.
• PTC India Financial Services is a subsidiary of PTC, which holds around 65% in the non-banking financial firm.
• SEBI has also barred Singh from holding any Director position or a key managerial role in any listed company, intermediaries, or any company planning an IPO for next 2 years.
• Mishra has been restrained for the next 6 months from holding key positions. SEBI’s probe followed after 3 independent Directors of PFS resigned in Jan 2021, alleging violations of Corporate Governance norms.
• “The MD & CEO in a company, though sitting at a high position within the management hierarchy, is duty-bound to follow the decisions of the Board of his company & cannot exercise his power unilaterally in an unfettered manner,” said SEBI in a 111-page order.
• The order said that Singh had "grossly misused" his position as MD/CEO of PFS & Mishra had been "acting as a willing accomplice".to prevent Mr. Ratnesh from joining as WTD (Finance) & CFO, which was approved by the Board of PFS
• MD & CEO in a company, is duty-bound to follow the decisions of the Board of his company & cannot exercise his power unilaterally in an unfettered manner.
• “He employed all the tricks to defeat the decision of PFS Board to appoint Ratnesh, thereby keeping a critical vacancy in the company unfilled,” the order issued by SEBI said

• PFS Board then recommended that it may be reported to RBI as suspected fraud, but Singh delayed implementing this suggestion too. These actions showed that Singh "was running the Company PFS as a private concern where his writ run large, even if it was to the detriment to the Company
• SEBI, the market regulator said he was only interested in asserting his authority within the company & having his way in crucial matters, at the cost of the company's interests.
• “Such tendencies, when adopted by the persons occupying highest positions within a company, are bound to have negative repercussions, which is evident from the fact that two sets of IDs resigned in quick succession from the company,” added Sebi whole-time member Ashwani Bhatia in the order.
• Sebi noted that the irregularities had an impact on the performance of PFS as the assets fell from Rs 13,193 CR in FY19 to Rs 7,634 crore in FY23. Four public sector enterprises — NTPC, NHPC, PGCIL, PFC: together hold a 16.2% stake in PFS’ holding company PTC.

(It is the one such case noticed But such a tendancy is rapidly increasing in many organizations, which is harming our progress)

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OCCRP Report alleges huge scam in the supply of coal by Adani (22/05)

• Revelations by the Organized Crime & Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) regarding the low quality of coal (3500 KCAL/KG instead of 6000 Kacl/KG) being supplied by Adani group have created a flutter in political & bureaucratic circles. While the issue of low-quality coal & the resultant ENV degradation has been flagged repeatedly in recent times in TN,
• This exposé claims that at least 24 shipments that landed on the TN coast between Jan & Oct 2014 were originally priced as low-quality coal but ultimately sold by the Adani group to TANGEDCO at triple the cost
• On Jan 9, 2014, the bulk carrier MV Kalliopi L docked at Ennore port after a two-week voyage from Indonesia. It was carrying 69,925 MT coal destined for TANGEDCO, OCCRP said. However, the paperwork for the cargo took a more circuitous route, passing thro’ the British Virgin Islands & Singapore, it said. During this journey, the price of the coal more than tripled, to $91.91/MT. The quality also inexplicably changed from low-grade steam coal to the clean, high-quality version sought by TANGEDCO, OCCRP said

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• Before reaching Tangedco, the paperwork for the shipment passed thro’ a middleman: Supreme Union Investors Ltd, a company registered in tax haven of British Virgin Islands. Supreme Union Investors issued an invoice for the same shipment to Adani Global PTE Singapore: the group’s regional headquarters: that listed the unit price as $33.75/MT, & the quality as “below 3,500” kcal/kg, which is considered low-grade, OCCRP said.
• But when Adani Global issued its invoice to Tangedco for the shipment a month later, everything had changed. The unit price shot up dramatically to $91.91/MT & the coal was listed as having a calorific value of 6,000 kcal/kg, a high-quality form, relatively free of impurities, it added.
• The evidence comes from multiple sources, including invoices & banking documents from several jurisdictions, details of investigations by India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), leaked documents from a key Indonesian coal supplier for Adani, & a trove of documents obtained from Tangedco, it said.

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• It said that the DRI, under the Union Ministry of Finance, opened an investigation nearly a decade ago into whether Adani group & other Cos had used offshore intermediaries to inflate the price of coal supplied to utilities.
• However, Adani won a case in the Bombay HC that blocked the DRI from seeking details about shipments, including the types of invoices the OCCRP has obtained, from abroad. The DRI has filed an appeal in the SC.
• Mr Arappor Iyakkam (Chennai based NGO, who in 2018 complained about alleged scam ) said that its request for an investigation into the coal import scam by Tangedco, wherein Adani group had sold low-quality coal imported from Indonesia at an exorbitant price, had been reaffirmed by the OCCRP report

(Adani Group said that the Allegations are incorrect & is strongly commited for followng all laws & Regulations in all jurisdiction )

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21 international Organisations write to CJI for speedy resolution of Adani Coal imports in SC (25/05)

• At least 21 international organisations have written to CJI DY Chandrachud & requested the SC to speedily resolve the pending case filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, (DRI) investigating Adani Group firms for alleged overvaluation of Indonesian coal imports.
• These organisations include Australian Centre for International Justice, Banktrack, Bob Brown Foundation, Culture Unstained, Eko, Extinction Rebellion, Friends of Earth Australia, London Mining Network, Mackay Conservation Group, Market Forces, Money Rebellion, Move Beyond Coal, Seniors for Climate Action Now, Stand.earth, Stop Adani, Sunrise Movement, Tipping Point, Toxic Bonds, Transparency International Australia, W&J Nagana Yarrbayn Cultural Custodians, Queensland Conservation Council.
• Comes after a report by the London-based Financial Times, citing documents from George Soros-backed Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), alluded to a "fraud" by the Adani Group by selling low-grade coal as high-value fuel in 2013.
• Contending that they stand firmly against the continued use of fossil fuels, the organisations said the Financial Times report provided fresh & detailed evidence of passing off of "low-quality coal as far more expensive cleaner fuel" by the Adani Group in transactions with TN's Tangedco.
• While the Adani Group has denied all allegations,
• A spokesperson for Adani group said quality of coal was independently tested at point of loading & discharge, as well as by customs authorities & Tangedco officials. "With the supplied coal having passed such an elaborate quality check process by multiple agencies at multiple points, clearly the allegation of supply of low-quality coal is not only baseless & unfair but completely absurd, as tests for quality of consignment in question had yielded results within permissible limits.

Singapore group to export green ammonia from a plant in India to Japan (07/06)

• Singapore group in India will export Green ammonia (200,000 MT/ annum) to Japan under an agreement signed. Sembcorp Green Hydrogen Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore's Sembcorp INDs has signed a Heads of Terms (HoT) with buyers Sojitz Corporation & Kyushu Electric Power Co Inc of Japan, paving the way to finalise a definitive green ammonia offtake agreement.
• Work towards a front-end engineering design award for the project in India is underway following the completion of feasibility study. Land for the facility in India has been secured, said Sembcorp.
• As the lead developer & operator of the project, Sembcorp will utilise RE to produce an initial 200,000 MTPA of green ammonia from the Indian plant.
• The HoT was presented at Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Clean Economy Investor Forum, & witnessed by Ken Saito, Minister of Economy, Trade & Industry, Japan; Dr Tan See Leng, Second Minister for Trade & Industry, Singapore; & Sunil Barthwal, Commerce Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, GOI
• The project brings together three IPEF members: Japan, Singapore & India, in a cross-border collaboration to accelerate the development of a low-carbon supply chain & advance the region's transition to a clean economy. It also demonstrates Sembcorp's commitment to drive energy transition, while leveraging its expertise & proven track record in India, where it has a gross RE portfolio of 4.7GW.
• MOU was signed by the three companies, as a consortium, on Dec 18, 2023, to explore supplying Japan with green ammonia produced in India.

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World's biggest solar farm comes online in China's Xinjiang (04/06)

• A Chinese state-owned Company had connected the world's biggest solar plant to the grid in northwestern Xinjiang.
• The 5-GW, 200,000-acre solar farm, in a desert area of the capital Urumqi, came online on 03/06, a notice on the state asset Regulator's website said, citing the Power Construction Corp of China. The facility will generate about 6.09 BU electricity each year, that would be enough to power the country of Papua New Guinea for a year.
• The two largest operational Solar facilities previously were also in Western China: Longyuan Power Group's Ningxia Tenggeli desert solar project & China Lüfa Qinghai New Energy's Golmud Wutumeiren solar complex, both with a capacity of 3 GW each , according to the Global Energy Monitor's Solar power tracker.
• Sparsely populated Xinjiang, rich in solar & wind resources, has become a hub for massive RE bases that send much of their power across long distances to China's densely populated eastern seaboard.

Amazon completes its first ‘Solar+Storage+AI’ project

• At the newly completed Baldy Mesa Solar+Storage farm in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, Amazon is using machine learning (ML) models to help predict when & how its batteries should charge & discharge energy back to the grid.
• Digitalization & cloud have enabled a “surge” of data, Amazon says, allowing clean energy owners & operators to access real time weather data, historical grid data, & more.
• “AI is an important tool that’s already helping our society make the transition to carbon-free energy & address climate change at scale,” said Kara Hurst, Amazon VP
• “Pairing Solar projects enabled by Amazon with AI technologies powered by AWS helps to ensure the grid & customers it serves receive a steady supply of carbon-free energy for more hours each day, while also is helping Amazon make progress toward our commitment to be a more sustainable company.

• For the Baldy Mesa project, software built using Amazon Web Service (AWS) product SageMaker is expected to analyze up to 33 Bn data points/year, according to Fluence, the solutions provider. The software is designed to optimize when to buy, store, & sell energy based on grid solutions. Fluence says the same ML solution was deployed at a similar site in California, & was able to help anticipate 2023’s state-wide heat
• Amazon is also hoping to leverage ML to optimize energy usage at its facilities. At its San Bernardino Air Hub, Amazon’s 5.8 MW RT solar array is paired with a 2.5 MW battery. Its teams are in the process of developing an AI model that would leverage ML capabilities along with performance data from Amazon RT solar arrays to help the Air Hub & other facilities minimize their energy usage.
• After aggregating performance info from its RT solar+storage installations, Amazon will combine it with local weather & building data at a central location. (AWS Data Lake).
• Once launched, Amazon anticipates the model can be used for predictive insights on site performance & energy Gen: a task it says humans cannot perform, as it requires manual analysis & monitoring of each system & building.

Gratitude: A beautiful anecdote which may change you!!!

When Indian billionaire Hon. Ratan Tata was asked by the radio presenter in a telephone interview:

• Sir, what do you remember when you got the happiest in life?

Hon Ratan Tata said:

• “I have gone thro’ four stages of happiness in life, & I finally understood the meaning of “true happiness”.

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• The first stage was to accumulate wealth & resources. But at this stage I didn't get the happiness I wanted.

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Then came the 2^nd stage of collecting valuables & items.

• But I realized that the effect of this thing is also temporary & the luster of precious things does not last long.

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Then came the 3^rd phase of getting a big project. That was when I had 95% of the diesel supply in India & Africa.

• I was also the owner of the largest steel factory in India & Asia. But even here I did not get the happiness that I had imagined.

The 4^th step was when a friend of mine asked me to buy wheelchairs for some disabled children for : About 200 children.

• At the behest of the friend, I immediately bought the wheelchairs. But the friend insisted that I go with him & hand over the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready & went with him.

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• There I gave these children the wheel chairs with my own hands. I saw a strange glow of happiness on the faces of these children. I saw them all sitting in wheelchairs, moving around & having fun.It was as if, they had reached a picnic spot, where they were sharing a winning gift.

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I felt real happiness inside me.

When I decided to leave, one of the kids grabbed my leg.

• I tried to slowly release my legs, but the child looked at my face & held my legs tight. I leaned over & asked the child: do you need anything else?

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• The answer this kid gave me not only shocked me but also completely changed my outlook towards life

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• This child said:"I want to remember your face, so that when I meet you in heaven, I can recognize you and thank you once again!!..."

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Thanks!!!�Contant me: vlsonavane@gmail.com/ M:983362062