Greentech Lead India: The Orissa state government is
targeting 50 MW solar power generation in 2012-13.
The state plans to initiate a 25 MW solar park in Nuapada
district. The state’s nodal agency for land acquisition – Industrial
Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) will identify 50 hectares of land
for the solar park in Nuapada district, according to a report in Business
Standard.
The state department of science & technology has
already submitted a proposal for the solar park to the Government of India.
Recently, the government has contracted with
Kolkata-based Alex Astral Power for setting up of a 25 MW solar power plant in
Orissa. The Rs 300 crore project is likely to be set up in Bolangir district.
Alex will sell the power generated by this project to
Gridco at Rs 7 per unit through a long term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Gridco signed PPAs with eight solar developers, each with
a capacity of 1 MW. It had also inked MoU with Indian Renewable Energy
Development Agency (IREDA) to avail generation based incentive (GBI) under the
Rooftop Photovoltaic and Small Solar Generation Program (RPSSGP) scheme.
In addition, Gridco entered into power sale agreement
with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, a subsidiary of NTPC, to avail solar power
bundled with equivalent capacity of thermal power from unallocated share of
upcoming NTPC stations under ‘New Solar Projects’ scheme of Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy. Under the scheme, 20 MW of solar power has been allocated to
Gridco.