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Wind
generated power is now flowing to villages on Sagar
Island, India. Sagar, with an area of around 300 sq.km is
located 90 km south of Calcutta in the state of West
Bengal on the Ganges Delta. It is not connected to the
mainland grid and relies solely on independent power
generation to meet its electrical needs. The local
utility, faced with a shortage of resources and high
diesel electricity prices, is only able to provide power
for 5 hours every evening, for only 13 of the 45 villages
on Sagar. To take advantage of a good wind regime, ten AOC
15/50 wind turbines (50 kW each) will be installed on the
island. The project consists of two phases.
Phase
one, which was completed in February 2002, saw the
installation of two new diesel gensets, a Wind
Diesel Integrated Control System (WDICS) and the first two
wind turbines. Phase two will include the addition of
eight more wind turbines. This will create a high
penetration system in which the diesels will be allowed to
shut off completely when the wind is sufficient to meet
the community’s load. This new wind/diesel power system
will greatly improve the existing electrical supply on the
island.
Atlantic
Orient Canada Inc. of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia is the
supplier of the 10 - AOC 15/50 wind turbines and has
partnered with Auroville Energy Products of India to
manage the project. The Atlantic Wind Test Site in PEI
provided the supervisory control system. The
Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. Peter Sutherland, visited
Calcutta in April, 2002 to officially inaugurate the power
project. Indian Chief Minister Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya
cut the ribbon with Mr. Mrinal Banerjee, Indian
Minister of Power, also present. Speaking about his
visit to Sagar Island, Mr. Sutherland said, "I am
pleased the local communities have been involved right
from the planning stage of the project and they are
eagerly looking forward to extended hours of reliable
power supply in their villages.”
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