Sanchi will soon be declared as the first solar city of Madhya Pradesh

Sanchi, the Unesco world heritage site in Raisen district known for Buddhist stupas, will soon be declared as the first solar city of Madhya Pradesh.

“The work of developing Sanchi as a solar city is complete. We are not just talking about renewable energy projects, we are also executing them on ground,” Principal Secretary (energy and renewable energy) Sanjay Dubey said. Sanchi sits on the Tropic of Cancer, which makes it ideal for soaking in the sun’s energy.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the project would ensure electricity to every house in the town through solar energy.  The plan includes rooftop solar panels, solar parks, and wind energy, among other projects. Two solar stations of 5 megawatt (Mw) and 3 Mw capacity are established in the town. According to the MP Urja Vikas Nigam, the nodal agency for the implementation of the project, the town needs around 3 million units of energy per year and arrangements are being made to generate 5.6 million units annually.

The maximum cost of building the solar city has come from the corporate social responsibility fund of the state-owned energy sector.