WCA September 2014

India Insight

OPGW proposal The Meghalaya department of telecom has proposed the formation of an inter-ministerial panel to expedite work on the laying of optical fibre along the Shillong-Tura electric power line.

NTPC director (technical) Jha said the utility’s solar power generation capacity has reached 95MW with the commissioning of the Rajgarh solar project. “We, at NTPC, are increasing our focus on renewables, in particular solar energy,” Jha added. Tata Power Solar CEO Ajay Goel said: “This project bears testimony to Tata Power Solar’s 25-year strong lineage and the ability to bring together our strengths in manufacturing world class solar modules and EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) capabilities.” Tata Power Solar – India Website : www.tatapowersolar.com Wiring acquisition India’s auto component maker, Motherson Sumi Systems (MSSL) has announced its acquisition of the US-based Stoneridge Inc wiring harness business for $65.7 million. Stoneridge has annual revenues of approximately $300m with six manufacturing facilities spread across Portland, Indiana, in the USA, and Chihuahua, Saltillo and Monclova in Mexico, as well as an engineering and administrative centre located in Warren, Ohio, USA. The deal, structured by way of asset purchase, is subject to completion of regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2014. Motherson Sumi Systems – India Website : www.motherson.com Hydro power takes a dive Low rainfall in India is restricting the country’s hydro power output, down by a fifth from a year ago and part of a downward trend. On 20 th July, the load dispatch system received 418 million units of hydro power, almost 20 per cent less compared with the 515 million units generated on 20 th July 2013. Experts attribute the downtrend to the weak progress of monsoon rains in those regions of India that usually generate up to 44,000MW of hydro power. However, the loss of output could have been wider if hydroelectric projects on snow-fed rivers had not received more water as a result of the severe summer. “At this point of time, snow-fed rivers enabled hydro power projects to maintain their normal generation, as temperature melted glaciers to fuel the plants,” said the Himachal Pradesh energy development agency CEO, Bhanu Pratap Singh. In western India, where hydro power plants are dependent on rain-fed rivers and irrigation projects, power generation dipped to only 10 million units on 20 th July, compared with 68 million units on the same day in 2013. Himachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency – India Website : http://himurja.nic.in

The Meghalaya government is considering laying optical fibre ground wire (OPGW) along its 208km-long Shillong-Tura high tension electric power line to improve telecom connectivity in the north-east region. The department of telecom wrote to the ministry of development of the north eastern region, requesting that a committee be formed with the department of telecom, government of Meghalaya and ministry of development of north eastern region to expedite the project. The Meghalaya government has also requested that financial support for the project be available from the ministry of development of north eastern region. The Meghalaya government asserts that the benefits of using OPGW will encompass the entire state, as well as other regions of the north east. Meghalaya – India Website : www.meghalaya.nic.in Solar boost for India Tata Power Solar has commissioned a 50MW solar photovoltaic project for NTPC (formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited) in India. The commissioning is part of the company’s plan to expand its renewable energy portfolio to 1,000MW by 2017. Located in Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh, the 50MW project is believed to be the largest Indian solar project to use indigenously-built solar modules, and will offset approximately 73,000 tonnes of CO 2 in its first year. ❍ The Meghalaya government is considering OPGW along its high-tension electric power line

65

www.read-wca.com

Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2014