Mahagenco to Add 1,071 MW Solar Projects, 3 Lakh to Benefit

The Maharashtra government recently announced that Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MAHAGENCO) would set up 1,071 megawatts of solar power projects under the Chief Minister’s Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme 2.0.

The projects are launched to cut reliance on conventional energy, reduce carbon emissions, and ensure over three lakh farmers have uninterrupted daytime power for irrigation across the state, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced.

The solar projects will be developed within a radius of 5-10 km range of agricultural distribution substations. Their capacities will range from 0.5 MW to 25 MW and will be dedicated exclusively to agriculture feeders. These are also intended to reduce the load on the conventional power grid during peak hours.

The Chief Minister’s Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme 2.0 falls under Mission 2025 - a plan to solarise 30 percent of all agricultural feeders by 2025.

GEAPP Ensuring Implementation and Transparency

The government of Maharashtra partnered with GEAPP India to ensure effective execution of the project and ensure transparency.

It will provide a Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) and a digital platform to manage data collection, monitor current status, and streamline project management. A digital dashboard,  to be developed jointly by GEAPP India and MAHAGENCO, will track project status, land acquisition, and implementation in real time.

GEAPP India is the Indian arm of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, backed by the Rockefeller Foundation, the IKEA Foundation, and the Bezos Earth Fund.

A joint strategic committee comprising representatives from the state government, Mahagenco, and GEAPP would oversee the project’s execution, monitor progress, and address logistical and administrative challenges.

Mahagenco is India’s second-largest state-owned power generator, after the National Thermal Power Corporation.. The PSU has an installed capacity of 13,880 MW with the bulk of its power generation coming from thermal and hydroelectric sources. Treading toward a clean energy future, Mahagenco is now increasingly shifting focus to renewables, particularly solar.

In April this year, Vikram Solar received an order for a renewable power project of 150 MW from Mahagenco. Earlier, the government firm awarded Refex another 150 MW solar power project.