Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Following the recommendation of the Departmentally Related Standing Committee (DRSC) of the Assam Legislative Assembly to seek land for big solar power projects, the Power Department had asked the DCs to allot land for setting up such plants. The APGCL then requested DCs of every district and the Principal Secretary of BTR for allotment of land for the setting up of the Solar Renewable Project. However, it was stated that no response was obtained from the officials concerned; the department informed the DRSC in its reply.
The committee had earlier recommended that the Power Department should give importance to producing solar power or green power and directed the department to request the DCs of every district and the Principal Secretaries of the Sixth Schedule areas for allotment of land for big solar plants.
As per the DRSC report, APDCL has been emphasizing the enhancement of the production of green energy in the state. In this regard, APDCL has already signed MoUs for the formation of a joint venture with SGEL (SJVNL Green Energy Limited) and NLC India Limited (NLCIL) for the development of 1,000 MW renewable energy projects in the state. Also that the Joint Venture Company of SGEL and APDCL has been formed. The joint venture agreement of NLCIL and APDCL has been signed, and JVC formation is in process.
The report of DRSC said, “Apart from these, a 1,000 MW Solar Power Project is going to be developed in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam under “Mukhyo Mantri Sauro Shakti Prokolpo” by APDCL with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the state government. The tendering process is already over for 250 MW capacity under the project, and the Letter of Award (LOA) has been approved by the Cabinet for the award of the work. Further, construction works of 70 MW and 50 MW solar projects at Bilasipara, Dhubri, and Borsola, Sonitpur, respectively, are in progress. Another 200 MW aggregate capacity across the State of Assam will be developed in the same model shortly after finalisation of land. As a first in this region of the country, APDCL is also going to develop a Battery Energy Storage System through Joint Venture with ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd (OTPC). In the first phase of this, a 25 MW Battery Energy Storage System will be developed at the 400 KV Kukurmara Grid Sub Station at Mirza.”
The DCs of every district and the Principal Secretaries of the Sixth Schedule areas were further intimated for allotment of land for development of utility-scale (MW scale) solar projects in the state. Apart from the 18,000 bighas of land allotted at Lahorijan, Karbi Anglong, by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), where APDCL is developing the 1,000 MW Solar Power Plant with funding from ADB and the state government, the KAAC has also allotted a total of 14,100 bighas of land in Makoiram. In addition to this, 200 bighas of land have been allotted at Batadrava Mouza, Dhing, Nagaon, for the development of a solar project. Moreover, APDCL is still pursuing the allotment of more such barren government lands in the state for the development of solar plants.
The report pointed out that APGCL had also requested DCs of every district and the Principal Secretary of BTR for allotment of land for the setting up of a solar renewable project. However, no response has been obtained so far.
The DRSC report was submitted during the budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly.
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