With a view to encouraging wind power generation in Andhra Pradesh, the State government has enhanced the power purchase price to Rs 3.50 per unit from Rs 3.10 per unit for wind mills, according to power minister Shabir Ali.
Though the State has a potential of 2,110 MW wind power generation, installed capacity was only 107 MW. During 2004-08, only 9.15 MW capacity was added to the system. ?We want more and more entrepreneurs to come forward to set up wind power generation units,? Ali said.
Meanwhile, following requests from the wind farm developers and turbine manufactures, the State government had constituted a committee to study the need to enhance the power purchase price.
The committee had suggested paying 85% (presently at 75%) of the tariff price for the unutilized portion of the power being generated by the wind mills, after their captive use.
The Chief Minister, after reviewing the wind power generation in the State, expressed unhappiness over the State?s entrepreneurs moving to neighbouring States to set up wind farms due to unviable pricing structure in Andhra Pradesh.
For instance, the wind power price in Karnataka stood at Rs 3.40 per unit for the last 10 years, Maharashtra at Rs 3.50, Rajasthan at Rs 3.71, Gujarat at Rs 3.37 per unit.