MMTC to expand wind energy project in Karnataka
The company, which plans to expand its wind farm in Gajendragad in Gadag district, will set up similar projects in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
As part of its diversification plans, India’s largest international trading company under the ministry of commerce and industry, Minerals & Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC) Limited will invest in non-conventional and sustainable energy projects by setting up wind farms in the next couple of years.
The company, which plans to expand its wind farm in Gajendragad in Gadag district, will set up similar projects in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Company officials said the Gajendragad plant can generate a total capacity of 15 MW of power and the target was to generate an additional 50 MW by setting up new wind farm projects.
“As part of the government of India’s mission to double renewable energy capacity in the next three years, we are proposing to set up wind farm project plants in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka in the next two years,” said P Ramachandran, general manager, MMTC, Karnataka.
He said the feasibility study for setting up the new plants would be completed in a year’s time and the company was planning to install 40 new wind energy generators with a total investment of `240 crore. To set up the new plants, the company is also planning to acquire 200 acres.In addition to venturing into wind power, MMTC is further looking at investments in non-conventional and sustainable energy projects in the field of solar energy. The company is planning to set up a solar energy plant in the deserts of Bikaner, Rajasthan for generating 15 MW power.
The company’s Gajendragad plant, with 25 wind energy generators, can each generate 600 KV. The entire power being produced is sold to Hubli Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM) Limited. Since its commissioning in 2007, the plant has delivered electricity power of over 102 million units to HESCOM grid at `3.40 a unit.