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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 270
ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026
OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY PROJECTS IN TAMIL NADU
*270. DR. T SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:
Will the Minister of New and Renewable Energy be pleased to state:
(a) the current status of the offshore wind energy projects proposed along the Tamil Nadu coast
and the Gulf of Mannar and adjoining regions;
(b) whether tenders under the offshore wind Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme have been
finalised and if so, the details and the capacity proposed for Tamil Nadu;
(c) the details of financial support approved or proposed under central offshore wind
programmes including VGF assistance; and
(d) the timeline for commissioning of the offshore wind projects and their integration with
existing renewable energy infrastructure in Tamil Nadu?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, &
FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****STATEMENT
Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 270
to be answered on 11.03.2026 regarding ‘Offshore Wind Energy Projects in Tamil Nadu’
asked by Dr. T Sumathy Alias Thamizhachi Thangapandian
(a) to (d): Government has taken several steps to develop offshore wind power projects in the
country including in the state of Tamil Nadu. These, inter alia, include:
• Notification of ‘Offshore Wind Energy Policy’ in October 2015 to provide framework for
the development of offshore wind energy in the country.
• The Offshore Wind Energy Lease Rules, 2023 have been notified to regulate the grant of
lease of offshore areas for development of offshore wind energy projects.
• For initial phase of developments, 08 potential offshore wind zones each off the coast Tamil
Nadu and Gujarat have been identified through meso-scale study. Subsequently, 14 sub
zones have been demarcated off the coast of Tamil Nadu through detailed Marine Spatial
Planning (MSP).
• Geotechnical study at three bore hole locations carried out off Tamil Nadu coast. Further,
4 LiDARs off Tamil Nadu coast installed for wind resource measurement. Offshore met-
ocean field studies and Geophysical & Geotechnical investigation for a 500 MW capacity
site off Tamil Nadu coast has also been completed.
• Central Transmission Utility (CTU) has completed the planning for initial 10 GW offshore
transmission capacity (05 GW each off Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coast).
• Government has launched the 'Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for offshore wind
energy projects' with total outlay of ₹ 7453 crore. MNRE has issued Scheme Guidelines
for implementation of ‘VGF Scheme for Offshore Wind Energy Projects’ vide sanction
dated 11.09.2024.
• Offshore Wind has been included in the list of activities to be considered for trading of
Carbon Credits under bilateral/co-operative approaches as per Article 6.2 Mechanism of
Paris Agreement.
• Waiver of Inter-State Transmission (ISTS) Charges along with waiver of additional
surcharges for open access consumers for offshore wind power projects commissioned on
or before 31.12.2032.
To facilitate the development of offshore wind projects in Gulf of Munnar off Tamil coast, National
Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) has installed floating LiDAR buoy for the wind resource
assessment of 500 MW equivalent site off Tamil Nadu coast. The tender for the development of
offshore wind project off Tamil Nadu site is yet to be finalised and is linked to the outcomes of
wind resource assessment and other studies.
Under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for offshore wind energy projects, ₹ 6853 crore
earmarked for installation and commissioning of 1 GW of offshore wind energy projects and grant
of ₹ 600 crore for upgradation of two ports to meet logistics requirements for offshore wind energy
projects. The first tender for development of 500 MW offshore wind energy project off Gujarat
coast issued by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) on 13.09.2024. The tender was closed
on 31.07.2025 (last date of bid submission) without receipt of any bids.
*****