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The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) has delivered a partial success verdict on a petition filed by Suzlon Global Service Limited seeking an extension for the Scheduled Date of Commissioning (SCOD) of its major wind power project. The petition, filed as Petition No. 2417 of 2024, requested more time for the 200 MW wind farm and associated power evacuation infrastructure, citing a series of Force Majeure events that had delayed the project. The project is located at Jamjodhpur and is designed to evacuate power to the 220 kV Kalawad sub-station managed by GETCO.
Suzlon had argued that a number of regulatory and procedural hurdles outside of its control had impacted the project timeline. After reviewing the petition, GERC acknowledged several of these delays and granted the company partial relief, recognizing specific factors that had hindered progress. One of the key reasons identified was the significant delay in the mandatory project registration process. The Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA), the statutory authority responsible for registration, took 195 days to complete the process, starting from October 4, 2023, and concluding on April 15, 2024. This delay consumed a substantial portion of the planned development time and was recognized by the Commission as a legitimate reason for schedule slippage.
Another major factor contributing to the delay was the time taken to grant development permissions. The Commission noted a combined total delay of 392 days related to this process, which spanned multiple capacity tranches. The development permissions were issued in stages, with some approvals granted starting on April 23, 2024, and others extending up to May 19, 2025. This staggered timeline indicated a protracted regulatory clearance period that significantly impacted the project’s ability to proceed as originally scheduled.
In addition to regulatory delays, the project faced a critical infrastructure impediment. The Ministry of Defense declared a “no-go” zone, or “No-WTG Zone,” within the project area, which restricted the installation of wind turbine generators (WTGs) in certain sections. This restriction further delayed Suzlon’s ability to implement its planned construction schedule and was formally recognized by the Commission as a valid reason for the extension.
Based on these findings, GERC concluded that the delays caused by the GEDA registration process, the extended development permission grant, and the Defense Ministry’s restrictions were beyond Suzlon’s control and constituted legitimate reasons for extending the SCOD. The decision provides Suzlon with relief from its original commissioning obligations and confirms that the project’s schedule was affected by factors outside the company’s management.
By acknowledging these external challenges, the Commission has allowed the company to proceed with the wind power project with a revised timeline, ensuring that regulatory and procedural obstacles do not penalize the development of renewable energy in the state. This ruling underscores the complexities involved in large-scale renewable energy projects, particularly the challenges posed by administrative procedures and regulatory approvals, and highlights the role of regulatory bodies like GERC in balancing compliance with practical realities on the ground.
