First Phase Of 2 GW PV Park Online In India

• First Phase of Pavagada Solar Park has been officially commissioned with 600 MW in India's Karnataka state
• Remaining capacity of the planned 2 GW park is scheduled to come online by the end of 2018
• 90% of the electricity generated at the park will be procured by Karnataka electricity distribution companies

Just under a third of a 2 GW solar park has been officially inaugurated in the Indian state of Karnataka. A 600 MW segment of the Pavagada Solar Park, owned by India's largest utility, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), was connected in mid-February, according to a report in the Indian daily newspaper, The Hindu (see 600 MW PV Capacity Online At Pavagada Solar Park).

In mid-January, Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd. (KREDL) tendered 1.2 GW of PV to be deployed at the Pavagada Solar Park (see 1.2 GW Of PV Tendered In Karnataka). A week later, Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd.SECI tendered 200 MW to be deployed at the park (see RFS For 950 MW PV In India). Once fully operational, the plant will be the largest solar power park in the country and likely in the world as well. The entire project is expected to be commissioned before the end of the year.  

Karnataka's discoms will procure 90% of the power generated from this project with a bundled tariff of around 3.30 INR ($0.051) per kWh, according to the state government's website.

Land for the 13,000 acre project has been leased from the farmers, who will receive 21,000 INR ($322) annually per acre with a 5% upward revision in rent every two years.