Govt fast track solar development

Bidding of 225 MW solar power plants will be opened on 12th April, 2018 as part of developing 100,000 MW solar capacity in country by 2022.

Solar energy is important for India’s energy security and the Government is working in a fast track mode in this direction, said Power Minister, R.K. Singh.

India has already set up the biggest Solar Power Plant in Uttar Pradesh through transparent auction under the Solar Park Scheme of New & Renewable Energy Ministry (MNRE).

The government provided Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of Rs.74.25 lakh per MW for the project which was inaugurated on 12 March 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Built at a cost of around Rs.528 crores, the 75 MW solar plant at Vijaypur village in Mirzapur, will generate 13 crore units of electricity per annum. .

The power plant has been set up by the French firm ENGIE through a transparent bidding process under the Solar Park Scheme of the Ministry.

The electricity generated by the project will be supplied by ENGIE at the rate of Rs.4.43 per unit for a period of 25 years.

The Ministry had earlier approved setting up of 4 solar parks in Uttar Pradesh worth the capacity of 440 MW.

These solar parks are being set up by Lucknow Solar Park Development Corporation (LSPDC) which is a joint venture of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and Non-conventional Energy Development Agency (NEDA) under UP Government.

A 50 MW solar power plant has already come up in Allahabad.

Another 40 MW solar power is ready for commissioning in Jalaun district.

With the inauguration of 75 MW power plant in Mirzapur, the total capacity of solar power plants in Uttar Pradesh has gone up to 165 MW. fii-news.com