Rajasthan govt, Reliance sign MoU for solar plant.

The Rajasthan government and Reliance Power signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Thursday to develop 6,000 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in the state. A project of 100 MW set up by the company was also dedicated to the nation on the occasion.

After signing MoU for 10,000 MW, it is the second biggest project that has come to the state in the sector. The company will invest nearly Rs 50,000 crore in the next 10 years with 3,000 MW to be generated in the first five years.

'It will add to our target of generating 25,000 MW production of solar power in the next five years. The group will also invest in developing power transmission system for excavation of power through grids in the state,' said an official of Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation (RREC). Recently, the Adani group also committed Rs 40,000 crore to install solar plants of 10,000 MW in a phased manner.

For setting up of solar power parks, a joint venture company will be formed in which state will have an equity of 50% and will be mandated to provide land. The power plants in the parks will be set up on company's own investment.

The total land required for the 6,000 MW power plant is estimated at 12,000 hectares. Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer have been identified as the ideal location for developing the parks.

Meanwhile, chief minister Vasundhara Raje dedicated 100 MW Concentrated Solar Project (CSP) developed by Reliance Power, located at Pokhran in Jaisalmer district, to the nation. According to company officials, Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Power, was awarded the CSP project in 2010 based on international competitive bidding.

'The CSP plant is expected to generate nearly 250 million kilowatt hours of clean and green energy annually, equivalent to consumption of 2,30,000 households,' the company said.

So far, the estimated solar power generation capacity in the state is calculated at 1, 40,000 MW of which 25,000 is targeted to be commissioned by 2025. As per the calculations by RREC, approximately, four people are being employed in generation of 1 MW.

TOI