NTPC to invest Rs 5,000 cr in solar power project: Arup Roy Choudhury

Interview with Chairman, NTPC

As Madhya Pradesh hopes to generate over 2 Gw of solar power in the next few years, state-run NTPC is planning to play a major part in it. In an interview with Sanjeeb Mukherjee, NTPC Chairman Arup Roy Choudhury said the company will invest Rs 5,000 crore in a solar power plant in Rewa district over the next few years. Edited excerpts:

NTPC has been engaged in Madhya Pradesh for many years and has been one of the oldest investors in the state. How do you plan to expand?

We are establishing a 750 Mw solar power plant in Rewa district of the state, for which an MoU was signed recently. The total investment in the project will be in excess of Rs 5,000 crore in phases, as the project will completed in three tranches of 250 Mw each. The investment size is based on the estimate that for generating 1 Mw of solar power, an investment of Rs 7 crore is required.

Has the land for the project been acquired? When do you plan to start generation?

We have identified land and are in the process of discussion with the state government. We will start generation within one year of getting the land.

How big is NTPC's solar power foray? You recently signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government for setting up a solar power project?

We are targeting to generate 3,500 Mw through solar power in the next few years, of which 1,000 Mw would be in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rajasthan. We are scouting for land for these projects.

For the Rewa project, how do you plan to procure photovoltaic cells, as domestic supply lines are restricted?

We will call for domestic commercial bidding for the equipment (photovoltaic cells) for 250 Mw to encourage the 'Make In India' call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While supplies for the balance 500 Mw will be invited through international commercial bidding, foreign suppliers are needed to bridge the domestic supply gap as India does not have more than 750 Mw of photovoltaic cell production capacity.