The required 66 KV infrastructure has been installed in the villages of Bhagi Vander, Shergarh, and Kothe Maluana.
Chandigarh: The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is making significant strides in the solar energy sector, hitting multiple targets with a single initiative. A new 4 MW Solar PV plant in Tarkhanwala village, Bathinda, has been commissioned to meet agricultural electricity needs, with an expected annual output of approximately 6.65 million units. This electricity is supplied to the PSPCL's grid/substation in the village of Sekhu.
In addition to this, the Punjab Energy Development Authority (PEDA) plans to establish three more solar power plants, each with a capacity of 4 MW, in Bathinda district. These additional plants, totaling 12 MW and costing Rs 50 crore, are anticipated to be commissioned by June 2025. The required 66 KV infrastructure has been installed in the villages of Bhagi Vander, Shergarh, and Kothe Maluana, with panchayat land near the substations leased for this purpose.
The state government is also exploring the establishment of 66 solar power plants, each with a capacity of 4 MW, aiming for a total of 264 MW. Upon completion, these projects are projected to generate approximately 390 million units (MU) of electricity annually, leading to estimated annual savings of around Rs 136 crore through feeder-level solarization.
The Punjab government's objective is to achieve self-sufficiency in solar energy while creating employment opportunities for the youth. This initiative is expected to attract an investment of approximately Rs 1,056 crore, creating jobs for skilled individuals in the non-conventional energy sector and bolstering the rural economy while enhancing agricultural productivity. Punjab is already recognized as one of the leading states in the country for green energy production. The government remains committed to providing robust support to industrialists investing in non-conventional and green energy.
These solar projects will exemplify the potential of solar energy in agriculture, providing numerous benefits to the residents of Punjab while assisting PSPCL in meeting electricity demand at a reduced cost. Power generated from these projects will be supplied to PSPCL under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) at a rate of Rs 2.748 per kilowatt hour.
Additionally, Punjab has announced an initiative under the Kusum (Farmer Energy Protection and Upliftment Maha Abhiyan) scheme to install 20,000 solar pumps for farmers, aimed at enhancing agricultural irrigation and promoting sustainable farming practices.
Looking ahead, the power generation capacity in Punjab is projected to increase by 5,061.75 MW over the next five years, fueled by upcoming renewable energy projects. This includes 4,300 MW from solar projects, 330.75 MW from hybrid, biomass, and mini hydel projects, and 431 MW from hydel projects. As of June 30 this year, the installed capacity of power projects in Punjab stands at 8,877.58 MW, with 155.3 MW managed by central sector organizations and 3,368.8 MW by state sector organizations.