PEDA to install solar plants on farmland
Anupam Bhagria
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, June 4
The Punjab Energy Development Authority (PEDA) has come up with a unique plan for enhancing income of farmers. The farmers will be trained to install solar power plants in their fields and energy produced from these plants will be sold to Punjab State Power Supply Corporation Limited (PSPCL) at the rate of Rs 7.04 per unit.
This scheme framed under New and Renewable Sources of Energy (NRSE) Policy-2012 has been introduced in the state for allocation of solar power projects to the land owning farmers from April 1, 2015.
For installing a 1 MW solar plant about 5 acres of land is required. However, a farmer can install project from 1 MW to 2.5 MW in the state for sale of power to PSPCL at applicable generic tariff determined by PSERC on annual basis.
Sukhwinder Singh, senior manager, PEDA, Ludhiana, said, “ The process of application, processing and allocation of the project will be completed by June 18. Interested farmers have to submit their applications online. The project will be installed by PEDA but Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) will be with the PSPCL. PEDA will also facilitate the farmers regarding documentation for the project. The land where the project will be installed should be with the farmer at least for the last three years.”
He further said in the first phase, Punjab has been allocated cumulative capacity of 500MW. Out of this 500MW, 100MW is reserved for allotment to land owners belonging to SC/ST categories/women and NRIs.
The life of the project is 25 years. Government of Punjab (GoP) will facilitate purchase of energy generated under this scheme by PSPCL through power purchase agreements of 25 years duration. PSPCL will be responsible for providing connectivity of the solar PV (photo voltic) power generating station at the nearest grid sub-station with the grid and provide cable from the last H pole of the 11kV evacuation line inside the grid sub/station and 11kV switchgear along with metering system in the grid.
The farmer will bear the total cost of the 11kV line for evacuation of power from the outdoor yard of the project to the nearest 66kV sub-station which can be constructed by the PSPCL on deposit job work basis for the farmer.
