Consortium to set up 4000 MW solar power project in Rajasthan

The Indian Ministry of Heavy Industries has announced that a consortium will develop an Ultra Mega Solar Power Project (UMSPP) with a cumulative capacity of 4,000 MW will be developed in Rajasthan (India) in the Sambhar Salts Limited (SSL) area close to Sambhar Lake, about 75 Km from Jaipur.

The project will be developed on a build, own, and operate (BOO) basis. The joint venture company (JVC) which will develop the project is formed by the following companies:

• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) 26%,
• Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) 23%,
• Sambhar Salts Limited (SSL) 16%,
• Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) 16%,
• Sutlej JalVidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) 16% and
• Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL) 3%.

The plant will be developed in two phases over a period of seven years with Phase I comprising 1,000 MW and the balance 3,000 MW in subsequent phases. The JVC shall be incorporated as a public limited company under the Companies Act and it will have its registered office in Delhi/NCR.

The JVC shall create and construct the requisite infrastructure for implementation of the Project. BHEL will supply the photo-voltaic (PV) modules for the first phase (1,000 MW) and will also have the right of first refusal for cells and modules for subsequent phases (3,000 MW) of the project at Sambhar and other projects, SECI will sign the power purchase agreement (PPA), SSL will provide the land with all clearances, POWERGRID will evacuate power, SJVNL will assist in Project management, and REIL will do the operation & maintenance (O&M).

The solar power plant will rely on proven and reliable crystalline silicon technology supplemented by refinements in encapsulation hardware and Mounting configuration to surmount the harsh tropical environments. With an estimated plant life of 25 years, the generation potential of the 4,000 MW Solar plant is estimated to be 6400 million units of (Solar) electricity per year.