New Delhi 12 January 2010

Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission:

BRPL & BYPL takes lead in sourcing power from Solar Thermal Technology;

sign a 25-year MoU to purchase 50 MW of solar power

• BRPL and BYPL sign MoU to procure 25-MW each of solar power
• MoU signed with ACME Jaisalmer Pvt Ltd in presence of Delhi Power Secretary
• ACME’s Rs 750 crore plant is the 1^st Solar plant in India based on the next generation Solar Thermal Technology as opposed to the conventional Solar Photovoltaic Technology
• Solar Plant scheduled for generation by June 2011

Taking the lead and a day after, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh launched Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) – an ambitious project for generating 20,000 MW of Grid Solar Power by 2020 - BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) separately signed a 25-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to procure 25 MW of solar power each with ACME Jaisalmer Solar Pvt Ltd.

In a simple ceremony at Shakti Sadan, HQs of DTL, today, Mr Gopal Saxena (CEO, BRPL) and Mr Ramesh Narayanan (CEO, BYPL) signed their respective MoU’s with the ACME Vice Chairman Mr R B Mishra. The MoU was signed in the presence of Mr Rajendra Kumar (Secretary, Power, GoNCTD) – who actually pioneered and facilitated this agreement to ensure that Delhi becomes the first state to secure Green Power.

The ACME Group is setting up three Solar Plants, based on the next generation Solar Thermal Technology, of 50 MW’s each in Rajasthan (Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur). BRPL and BYPL will procure the entire 50 MW (25 MW each ) from their Rs 750 crore Solar Thermal Power Plant coming up in Jaisalmer, at a tariff to be determined by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). The power plant is expected to be commissioned by June 2011.

Congratulating BRPL and BYPL for signing a MoU for procuring solar power, Delhi’s Power Secretary Mr Rajendra Kumar said, “The Solar Mission forms a part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and has an ambitious target of achieving 20,000MW solar power by 2020. Such steps, albeit small, will collectively go a long way in achieving India’s climate change agenda.” He complimented BSES for being the first to take this step.

ACME Jaisalmer Solar Pvt Ltd’s plant based on the Solar Thermal Technology is the first solar plant in India using this next generation technology, as opposed to the conventional Solar Photovoltaic Technology. Solar Thermal Plants are running successfully in Japan and California. “Thermal technologies have a natural advantage in India due to the fact that the average radiation is 4.5–6 kWh/m2/day with an average of 280 clear days in a year”, said a company official.

“An analysis done by Greenpeace shows that the JNNSM plan could ensure an annual reduction of 434 million tons of CO2 emissions every year by 2050 based on the assumption that solar will replace fossil fuels”, said a BSES official while emphasizing on the initiative to be an important element of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility.

According to Mr Saxena, “Harnessing of renewable resources like solar power will go a long way in alleviating and reversing the ill effects of climate change. Our participation in renewable power initiative only shows that our commitment to the green cause is more than just symbolic. This initiative will also witnesses the national capital getting green power”.

According to Mr Narayanan, “This is the second MoU signed by BYPL in as many months to procure renewable power. In November 2009, we had signed a MoU to procure 49% of the power produced by the under construction Ghazipur ‘city waste to power’ initiative. We are committed to further the ‘Green Cause” in the national capital”.

BRPL and BYPL, Delhi’s premier power distribution companies are committed to ensuring quality and reliable electricity supply to all their consumers.

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