MNRE Grants Blanket Extension for RE Projects amid Lockdown

With an aim to provide relief to renewable energy (RE) stakeholders amid lockdown due to Covid-19, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has granted an extension of time for RE projects equivalent to the period of lockdown plus 30 days additional blanket extension. Saurenergy had shared  this information following our coverage of MNRE secretary, Anand Kumar’s address to the USISPF forum last week itself, when he had mentioned this, among the many steps being taken to make the sector more investor friendly.

The Ministry in an order issued on April 17, 2020, stated that the extension will be for the period of lockdown plus 30 days. The additional 30 days will be a blanket extension for normalisation after the end of such lockdown.

Moreover, it also added that there will be no requirement of a case to case examination and there will be no need to ask for any evidence for an extension due to lockdown.

The move is significant as the Ministry in its earlier notification on March 20, 2020, issued directions to renewable energy implementing agencies to treat delay on account of disruption of the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country, as Force Majeure and that they may grant a suitable extension of time for projects based on evidences produced by developers in support of their claims.

However, the Ministry now said that all RE implementing agencies of MNRE will treat lockdown due to coronavirus, as Force Majeure.

Besides, referring to the RE departments (including agencies under power/ energy departments of states, but dealing in renewable energy), the Ministry has asked them that they may also treat lockdown due to coronavirus, as Force Majeure and may consider granting appropriate time extension on account of such lockdown.

Meanwhile, the move came after, RE developers represented to the Ministry that they may be granted a general time extension on account of lockdown, due to coronavirus, and additional time required for normalization after such lockdown.