Odisha to enhance solar power production capacity to 1500 MW by 2022

Focusing on carbon-neutral green energy, the Odisha government has set a target to enhance solar power production capacity to 1500MW by 2022 in the state.

In a high-level meeting on Monday, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy reviewed the progress made so far, and directed, Green Energy Development Corporation ( GEDCOL) to work out the detail road map with timelines for enhancing solar power production on a commercial basis and to adopt the latest technology for reducing the cost of production.

Presenting the scope and commercial feasibility for production of more solar power in the State, Principal Secretary & Chairman GEDCOL Bishnupada Sethi appraised, "State needs to produce 1500 MW of solar power by the year 2022 to meet the renewable power obligation (RPO), State is now able to produce the solar power at a competitive price of around Rs. 2.71 per unit; and, hence it is commercially feasible to ramp up commercial production through GEDCOM."

According to the data available with the state government, as of now, around 474 MW on-grid solar power plants have already been installed at different parts of the State through GEDCOL and OREDA, GEDCOL has set up plants of 362 MW through both the public and private investments.

Similarly, OREDA has installed on-grid capacity of around 112 MW. In addition to this, OREDA has projects of 460 MW capacity in the pipeline.

In the meeting today, it was decided that GEDCOL would develop 275 MW capacity solar park at four locations in Sambalpur and Boudh district and 500 MW capacity floating solar projects over large water reservoirs in partnership with NHPC.

Sethi also informed that GEDCOL has expedited steps for 19 MW capacity on-grid rooftop solar plant and 08 MW ground-based solar plants at different places.

The proposal for removing the present MW limitation for OREDA also received in-principal approval of the meeting.

( With inputs from ANI )