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Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Grants Extension on ALMM Compliance for Wind Turbine Bearings

Deadline relaxation announced for select wind turbine components amid ongoing global supply chain disruptions. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has provided additional time for compliance with its revised procedure for inclusion and updating of wind turbine models under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). The decision comes in response to supply chain challenges affecting the availability of specialised bearings used in wind turbine systems.

Through an Office Memorandum, the Ministry amended certain provisions of its earlier order dated 31 July 2025, which had updated the ALMM framework. The latest revision focuses on key turbine components — namely main bearings, yaw bearings and pitch bearings — that are currently facing procurement constraints due to global supply disruptions.

For wind projects where bids were finalised prior to 31 July 2025, MNRE clarified that these projects will continue to qualify for exemption, provided they are commissioned within three years from that date. In such cases, main bearings will be exempt from compliance requirements under the relevant provision of the updated procedure. This relaxation will also extend to projects that are bid out up to 31 July 2027. The Ministry noted that compliance for main bearings will be reassessed after reviewing supply chain conditions at the end of the two-year window.

Additional relief has also been announced for projects developed under captive use, open access, or third-party sale arrangements. If these projects are commissioned within 18 months from 31 July 2025, the exemption for main bearings will remain in force until 31 January 2029, subject to review. For yaw and pitch bearings, the exemption period will apply until 31 January 2028.

All other provisions outlined in the Office Memorandum issued on 31 July 2025 will remain unchanged. The order, approved by the competent authority, was signed by Rishikesh Vaishnav, Scientist ‘C’, MNRE.

The move is expected to ease pressure on wind project developers and equipment manufacturers facing delays in sourcing critical components, while allowing the government additional time to evaluate domestic manufacturing capacity for essential turbine parts.