Haryana set to add 5,000 MW at Rs 25k-crore investment

The state of Haryana is planning to add 5000 Mega Watt (MW) of power by 2012 to the current capacity of 4,600 MW through conventional power. The additional capacity will require around Rs 25,000 crore investment, according to a senior representative from the state government.

The state is also planning to increase the renewable energy contribution to 10 per cent in the state, for which the agency had signed six memorandum of understandings for setting up various renewable energy projects with a total capacity of 714.8 MW. This would bring investments to the tune of around Rs 240 crore before December 2009.

Speaking to Business Standard Sumita Misra, director, Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) and Department of Renewable Energy, Haryana who was in Chennai to attend International Congress on Renewable Energy (ICORE) 2008 said that current total installed capacity available in the state is 4,600 MW through conventional power.

Current power deficit during the peak load hours is 15-17 per cent. To address the problem it has been decided to add 5,000 MW capacity this would require around Rs 5 crore investment per MW, which is around Rs 25,000 crore.

To increase the renewable energy contribution to 10 per cent the state had signed six MoU recently with companies like New Delhi-based RS India Wind Energy (for setting up 3 MW solar PV project), Kolkata-based Astonfield Renewable Resources (3 MW), New Delhi-based Epuron Renewable Energy (2 MW), Azure Power India (2 MW), Omax Auto and Selecto Systems 1 MW each.

Total investment would be Rs 240 crore for setting up 12 MW capacity plants. Projects are expected to be completed by end of 2009.

Misra added currently 37 projects worth Rs 3,537 crore are under execution. Projects include 24 Biomass plant with a capacity of 258 MW and investment would be around Rs 1,060 crore, 4 wind projects with a capacity of 440 MW and with an investment of Rs 2,205 crore and 3 small hydro projects with a capacity of 4.8 MW. All these projects are expected to be completed over the next two years.

To create awareness about the solar energy and to assist rural school children the sate has launched a pilot project which would provide electricity to the government run schools in rural villages.

The pilot project was launched in a school at Rohtak district where 21 SPV power packs of 2.7 KW capacity has been set up with an investment of around Rs 1 crore. The pilot project was successful and now the department is planning to replicate it in other parts of the state.

Similarly the department launched Shikshadeep Yojana scheme to help girl students of rural Haryana. Each student will get LED based solar lamps having 1.5 Watt LEDs which can be used for 4 hours.

Around 19000 girl students will be benefited every year and an amount of Rs 3 crore will be spent annually, said Misra.