925 MW Solar Park Plans Move Ahead In India

Indian state electricity utility National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has secured an implementation support agreement with the Rajasthan Solarpark Development Company Ltd (RSDCL) to develop a 925 MW solar park in Rajasthan.

Local news reported that under the agreement signed, Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Ltd (RRECL) subsidiary RSDCL will develop infrastructure in the solar park for an investment of about INR 4.5 billion ($62 million) while NTPC will invest over INR 35 billion ($486 million) in developing solar projects.

The state government hopes to generate INR 185 million ($2.57 million) in revenues from the park on an annual basis in the form of development charges for a 25-year period. Overall, this park is expected to bring investment of more than INR 40 billion ($555.48 million) to the state.

Back in 2018, NTPC announced plans to tender 20 GW of solar power projects in the so-called developer mode under instructions from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) – and this comprised a 980 MW solar park in Rajasthan’s Nokh. The state government had offered suitable land for this project but it does not intend to buy power generated (see NTPC To Tender 20 GW).

Rajasthan and Gujarat that fall along the western border of India have massive tracts of land available and ample sunlight on account of its desert regions. NTPC is reportedly planning two ultra mega solar parks of 5 GW each for Rajasthan and Gujarat as revealed by its Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh in August 2019.

Recently, MNRE wrote a letter to all solar developers informing them of its intention to develop two ultra mega renewable energy parks with 25 GW capacity each in the above two states for which it has secured clearance from the state governments as well as the Ministry of Defence (see India Planning Ultra Mega RE Parks With 50 GW Capacity).