Chandigarh, April 29 -- Punjab has taken significant steps toward a greener and more sustainable future through a series of successful solar energy procurement initiatives, state Power minister Harbhajan Singh ETO said on Tuesday.
He said that the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has inked a major tender for solar power procurement, issuing a Letter of Intent to SAEL Industries Ltd. on April 15, under which 400 MW of solar power will be procured at a competitive tariff of Rs 2.97 per unit for a period of 25 years.
The solar projects will be set up within Punjab, supporting local infrastructure and employment, he added.
Singh further said that in a related development, the PSPCL has also granted in-principle consent to Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) under various ISTS schemes for the procurement of 1,950 MW of solar power. The tariff for this power ranges between Rs 2.48 and Rs 2.60 per unit, also for a 25-year duration.
The minister said that two solar power projects have recently become operational and have started supplying electricity to PSPCL. A 107.14 MW solar power project, commissioned by NHPC under the CPSU Scheme of MNRE, began commercial operations on April 14. Another 100 MW project, developed under SECI's ISTS Tranche IX Scheme, was synchronised with the grid on April 15. This project forms part of a 300 MW development situated in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and supplies power at a tariff of Rs. 2.36 per unit.
"All these significant strides in solar energy procurement and renewable infrastructure have been made possible under the visionary and able leadership of our Chief Minister, Bhagwant Singh Mann. His unwavering commitment to a greener Punjab is driving our state toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future," he said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.