Gujarat allots 565 Mw solar power capacity

After having successfully allotting 716 Mw of solar power generation capacity to 34 national and international project developers in the first round, Gujarat government has allotted another 565 Mw capacity to various power project developers.

The companies shortlisted for allotment in the second round also include state PSUs such as Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC), Gujarat Industries Power Company Ltd (GIPCL) and Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd (GPCL) with capacity allottment of 10 Mw each.

The private sector developers also include Emami Cement Ltd (10 Mw), Kemrock Industries and Export Ltd (10 Mw), Monnet Ispat Solar Energy (25 Mw), Coastal Project Pvt Ltd (25 Mw), Emami Cement Ltd (10 Mw), Ganges Entertainment Pvt Ltd (25 Mw), GHI Energy (10 Mw), GMR Gujarat Solar (25 Mw), Green Infra Solar (10 Mw), Hira Co India Pvt Ltd (20 Mw) and MKG Infra (10 Mw)."The government has allotted the solar power capacity to various companies," confirmed Saurabh Patel, minister of state for energy and petrochemicals, government of Gujarat.In order to attract more and more players to take up solar power projects in Gujarat, the state government decided not to allot new capacity to those players, who were allotted capacities in the first round.

"The idea behind this was to broad base the number of solar power project developers in the state," added Patel.

The state government has already sent the list of these developers to the apex electricity company of the state-Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL), which will ink power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the companies in time to come.

GUVNL has recently signed PPA with 26 solar power companies for 365 Mw. Development of these project is likely to attract investment of Rs 5,500 crore in the state.It may be mentioned here that the state government had allocated 716 Mw of solar power capacity to 34 national and international companies early this year. Some of them are JSW Energy, Torrent Power Ltd, Adani Power Ltd, NTPC and Welspun Urja Ltd.

Gujarat government has set the ambitious target of installing 1,000 Mw solar power capacity by the end of 2012 and 3,000 Mw in next five years.