India - CLP expands its wind energy portfolio powered by Vestas

CLP Expands its Renewable Energy Portfolio in India and reaffirms its commitment to clean energy. Committed to the development of 39.6 MW wind farm at Harapanahalli - Karnataka, powered by Vestas V82 - 1.65 MW wind turbines. Takes CLP India’s total wind power portfolio to 485.6 MW. In addition, 99 MW Theni Wind Farm fully commissioned. Reaffirms its commitment to the Group’s comprehensive climate change strategy of having 20% of its generation capacity from non-emitting sources by 2020.

CLP India, the largest foreign private power player in India, today announced that it will develop a 39.6 MW wind farm in Harapanahalli, Davanagere District in the state of Karnataka. The company has entered an agreement with major wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas Wind Technology India Pvt Ltd to develop this green-field project on a turnkey basis.

Construction of this new wind project has commenced and will be completed in the first quarter of 2011. This wind farm will use 24 Vestas V82 1.65 MW turbines and is expected to qualify as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project under the Kyoto Protocol, which will contribute significantly to the financial viability of the project.

With this project, CLP’s wind portfolio has increased to 485.6 MW – making it the largest wind energy developer in India. CLP has already committed 82.4 MW of wind investments in the state of Karnataka, which are under construction. This addition of 39.6 MW will enhance CLP’s presence in Karnataka to 122 MW.

The event coincided with the full commissioning of CLP’s 99 MW Theni Wind Farm in the State of Tamil Nadu, which was executed on a turnkey basis by Vestas.

Commenting on this occasion, Mr Rajiv Mishra, Managing Director, CLP India, said, “The Harapanahalli project reflects our commitment to sustaining CLP’s position as a leading developer of renewable energy in India. Given the increasing demand and having successfully operationalised 302 MW of the committed 485.6 MW across five wind farms in India, we aim to add around 200 MW of wind power installations every year to our portfolio. We have already committed an investment of over Rs 9,700 crore in Indian power projects, and with our intention to broaden our involvement in the Indian wind sector we expect our portfolio to grow steadily.”

“The Indian wind energy industry is witnessing an unprecedented change in which CLP and Vestas can benefit from a long term relationship. CLP believes that with this second project the relationship with Vestas has achieved more depth and is looking forward to the next Indian project with Vestas” said Mr Mahesh Makhija, Director – Business Development (Renewables), CLP India.

“We are delighted that CLP has selected Vestas as their wind energy solution provider again after successfully completing the Theni Wind Farm Project recently. It shows Vestas’ commitment to delivering the highest standards in terms of its product, technology and a safe project completion to our customers” said Sean Sutton, President – Asia Pacific, Vestas.

CLP India is the largest foreign investor in the wind power sector with a combined capacity of 485.6 MW – 302 MW under operation and 183 MW under various stages of implementation in Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. In addition to its renewable energy portfolio, CLP India owns and operates a modern 655 MW combined cycle gas power plant in Village Paguthan near Bharuch in Gujarat and is also building a 1,320 MW domestic supercritical coal-fired power project at Jhajjar in the northern state of Haryana – a project it won through international competitive bidding in July 2008.

CLP's Manifesto on Climate Change has set an ambitious target of reducing the carbon intensity by 75% by 2050 across the Group's power generation portfolio in the region. To achieve this, renewable energy will play a key role in meeting the intermediate goal of having 20% of its generation capacity from non-emitting sources by 2020, which include nuclear, wind, hydro, biomass and other renewable sources.

CLP India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the CLP Group, a Hong Kong-listed company and one of the largest investor-owned power businesses in Asia. CLP India is one of the largest foreign investors in the Indian power sector and is responsible for developing CLP's presence in that market. It has a diversified and climate friendly generation portfolio that covers renewable energy, supercritical coal fired, and gas fired generation, amounting to approximately 2,460.6 equity MW.

CLP India owns and operates a 655 MW gas-fired IPP in Gujarat. It is also one of the largest wind power developers in the country with approximately 485.6 MW of committed wind projects
at different stages of implementation. The total committed investment by CLP India is in excess of INR97 billion including the 1320 MW coal-fired Jhajjar Power Plant in Haryana.

In line with the CLP Group's commitment to develop 20% of generating capacity from non-carbon emitting energy sources such as renewable energy and nuclear power by 2020, CLP is investing in renewable energy projects in Asia Pacific, focusing on wind, small hydro and biomass, with an emphasis on India, China and Australia.

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