NTPC invites bid for 

100 mw solar plant in UP

Original Post: Debjoy Sengupta, ET Bureau

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(In UP, the state government…)

KOLKATA: NTPC has invited global bids for its 100 mw (10x10 mw) solar capacity project in Uttar Pradesh under the National Solar Mission, a project that equipment supplier has been eyeing since March.

In UP, the state government has joined hands with NTPC to develop a 375 mw solar power park in Jalon district at an estimated cost of Rs 3,000 crore. The state government plans to hand over about 750 hectares to NTPC on a nominal rent for developing the solar park in a phased manner.

The project is part of the state-run company's plans to set up 10,000 mw of renewable energy projects by 2020. The government has appointed NTPC to act as the nodal agency for implementing 15,000 mw of solar projects under the National Solar Mission Phase II Batch II in three tranches - 3000 mw in 2014-17, 5000 mw in 2015-18 and 7000 mw in 2016-19.

In Andhra Pradesh, NTPC is developing the world's largest solar power project at single location - the project in Anantapur district is targeting 1000 mw capacity. This project is proposed to be executed in three phases of 250 mw, 500 mw and 250 mw. During the current financial year, the company has approved an investment of Rs 1,779.25 crore for the Anantapur Solar PV Project, Stage-I.

NTPC, as per its corporate plan, envisages capacity addition of 128 gigawatts with a diversified fuel mix: 56% coal, 16% gas, 11 per cent nuclear, 8 per cent hydro and 9 per cent renewable energy sources. The company has already commissioned seven solar power projects aggregating 110 mw.

Half of this capacity is located on the spare land available at its thermal power stations. The remaining include 5 mw at Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and 50 mw at Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh.

NTPC is also planning to set up solar projects in Madhya Pradesh (750 mw), Rajasthan (1000 mw) and Telangana (500 mw). Discussions are in progress in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Pondicherry, which have shown interest in joining hands with the company and providing it land to develop solar projects.

The company also intends to set up rooftop solar panels at all its upcoming thermal plants. It is estimated that panels to produce roughly 1 mw can be installed at each station.