Odisha Targeting 1500 MW of Solar Generation Capacity by 2022

Odisha has decided to boost its share of renewable energy with the state government setting a new target of 1500 MW solar power capacity by 2022.

The coastal state of Odisha has decided to boost its share of renewable energy with the state government setting a new target of achieving 1500 MW of solar power generation capacity in the state by 2022.

In a high-level meeting on July 6, 2020, 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, “the state needs to produce 1500 MW of solar power by the year 2022 to meet the renewable power obligation (RPO), the 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 Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA), GEDCOL has set up plants of 362 MW through both the public and private investments.

Similarly, OREDA has installed an on-grid capacity of around 112 MW. In addition to this, OREDA has projects of 460 MW capacity in the pipeline. The proposal for removing the present MW limitation for OREDA also received in-principal approval of the meeting.

In the meeting, 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.

In May, it was reported that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had issued guidelines for the 100 percent solarisation of Konark sun temple, which is popularly known as Surya Mandir, along with the Konark town in Odisha. The cost of complete solarisation of town is expected to be Rs 25 crore and will be borne by the Government of India (GoI) with 100 percent central financial assistance (CFA), via MNRE.