AP sets target of 10K MW by 2020

Solar Mission

• Anantapur district to have biggest solar power park in Asia with an installed capacity of 3,500 MW
• Energy department is scouting for places to set up solar power plants with a capacity of 6,500 MW
• Solar Parks will have state-of-the-art technology
  

Hyderabad: The State government is taking steps to tap renewable sources of energy. In line with the Central government’s plan to develop solar power capacity of one lakh MW by 2020, the State government finalised an action plan to develop solar power plants with an installed capacity of 10,000 MW by 2020.

In a statement released on Sunday, Energy secretary Ajay Jain said that as part of the solar mission, the biggest solar park in Asia, with a capacity of 3,500 MW (N P Kunta1,000 MW, Orvakallu 1,000 MW, Talaricheruvu 500 MW and Galiveedu 1,000 MW) is being developed in Anantapur district in association with NTPC and AP Solar Power Corporation.

Ajay Jain said that suitable locations will be identified to set up solar parks with another 6,500 MW capacity in other parts of the State. “The Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was apprised of the progress in developing renewable energy resources,” he added.

The government also decided to introduce latest technologies and best practices adopted in the West to harness adequate power from energy sources at an affordable price to the domestic consumers.

The energy secretary brought to the notice of the Chief Minister about Union government’s initiative, towards uniting countries with vast solar potential in the climate change summit in Paris, which begins on Monday.

“The Centre’s decision to raise Rs 6,600 crore fund with seed capital from public sector utilities to support renewable energy sources is a good indication for the promotion of solar and wind power,” he added. The Union power minister Piyush Goyal congratulated the Chief Minister for distributing one crore LED bulbs under DELP programme, Ajay Jain added.