32 MW solar plant in Una to be operational in 2 months: Himachal CM

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 8

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the 32 MW Pekhubela solar power project being set up in Una district will be commissioned within two months.

To reduce carbon emission

• The 32 MW Pekhubela solar power project will generate 66.10 million units of electricity every year
• The project will not only address the state’s power needs but also reduce 2,532 tonnes of carbon emission every year
• It will provide employment avenues to locals
• HPPCL has been assigned the task of installing a 500 MW solar power project in two years

He said that the project would generate 66.10 million units of electricity every year, thus contributing to strengthening the economy of the state. The project was expected to be dedicated to people within two months of laying its foundation stone.

Sukhu had laid the stone of the project on December 2 and set the first week of February, 2024, as the deadline for its completion. The project, spanning 59 hectares, involves the installation of 82,656 solar modules, thus contributing to the state’s commitment to becoming a green energy hub by March 31, 2026.

The Chief Minister said that the initiative would not only address the state’s power needs but also significantly reduce carbon emission. The construction of the project was awarded on May 19, 2023, and the power generated would be transmitted through a 132 KV double circuit line-in and line-out of the Rakkar-Tahliwal transmission line, covering 1.88 km.

The project is expected to curtail 2,532 tonnes of carbon emission annually while providing employment opportunities to locals, he added.

Sukhu said, “Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) has been assigned the task of installing a 500 MW solar power project in two years. Funds have been arranged for setting up a 200 MW project, while the tender process for an additional 40 MW is in the final stage. Plans for 100 MW solar power projects are in the preparatory phase.”

He said, “At present, the HPPCL manages 3,275 MW of hydroelectric and solar power projects. Having completed four projects of 281 MW capacity, an additional five projects of 690 MW were under construction. The detailed project reports of four 272 MW projects have been approved, while investigation is underway for 10 projects with a combined capacity of 926 MW.”

Sukhu said, “In the second phase of the Rs 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar start-up scheme, the state government is considering the integration of green energy with employment generation, offering a 40 per cent subsidy to young individuals of the state for establishing solar power projects of 100 KW to one MW capacity.”

He added, “This initiative will not only promote the use of green energy but also contribute significantly to environmental preservation and creating self-employment opportunities.”

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