Renewable energy developers in India will be allowed to invoke force majeure clauses if projects are delayed because of problems caused by the coronavirus.
A Ministry of New and Renewable Energy statement said that the “disruption of the supply chains due to spread of coronavirus in China or any other country should be considered as a case of natural calamity and the force majeure clause may be invoked, wherever considered appropriate, following the due procedure”.
The ministry added that it has been receiving requests to grant time extensions to projects as a result of the coronavirus.
Extensions may be granted as long as developers produce evidence to support their claims that projects will be delayed because of supply chain issues resulting from the spread of the virus, it added.
Formal applications must be made to the relevant government agencies to assess the claims.
No indication was given on how long it would take to assess a claim, only that assessments would be carried out “objectively”.