TN plans 20,000 MW solar plants at a cost of Rs 70K crore by 2030

Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) is planning to install solar power plants of 20,000 MW capacity at an cost of Rs 70,000 crore by 2030.

A senior official of the Tangedco told IANS that this step is to reduce the quantum of power purchased from private companies, to increase the renewable energy resources, and to reduce the state's carbon footprint.

Cost of installing 1 MW of Solar power will be around Rs 3.5 crore.

The corporation is likely to finalise the tender by March 20 and the work will commence in April 2022, the official said.

The place of installing the solar power plant will be finalised following the recommendation of the consultant of the project based on the climatic conditions.

The official said that for installing 1 MW of power, five acres of land is required and for the 20000 MW power plant, around 1,00,000 acres of land will be needed.

The Chief Minister's office has already directed the district collectors to identify land parcels, the corporation said.

Tamil Nadu Power Department is expecting to complete the construction of a 1000 MW power plant by the end of the year. Tangedco has put a deadline of 2030 to complete the 20,000 MW project.

In Tamil Nadu, the total installed power capacity is 37,500 MW, of which 15,250 MW is procured through renewable sources of energy, the corporation official said.

Tangedco has at present small solar power plants that are installed at rooftops and are purchasing power from private producers at Rs 7.01 per unit.

Another major necessity that Tangedco will face is the storage batteries -- as at present, the corporation has batteries to store power up to 1 MW only.

The corporation will have to procure batteries to store 20,000 MW of power that will be generated once all the solar plants are commissioned by 2030, the official said.

--IANS

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