Solar power generation capacity at Charanka Solar Park in Patan district, the first such project in the country, is soon expected to touch 790 MW. The generation capacity is at about 600 MW at present.
The Charanka Solar Park was inaugurated in 2012 by then Chief Minister Narendra Modi. It was home to about 250 MW capacity at the time, which has gone up by nearly 2.5 times since then.
"Installed capacity of 600 MW solar power has been commissioned by 31 developers in the Solar Park. GACL (Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited) is setting up 30 MW Solar PV plant, and GSFC (Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals) is in the process of setting up 10 MW project. Looking at the availability of land in the Park, we can go for further capacity addition of 150 MW. Thus total capacity of Gujarat Solar Park will be about 790 MW," Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL), the project's developer, said in its latest annual report.
It said that state government owned entities Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSECL) and Gujarat Industries Power Company Limited (GIPCL) have shown interest in setting up the 150 MW projects.
GPCL further said that it is also setting up two more parks to tap solar energy. One of the two projects, where over 700 MW capacity is likely to come up, is taking shape at Radhaneshda village of Banaskantha district.
"The detailed project report is prepared. Advance possession of the land has been received. Application for water allocation has been made. Bidding process for solar projects would be initiated at the earliest," GPCL said.
The second park, of 500 MW capacity, is expected to come up in Harshad village of Banaskantha.
These projects are expected to give a huge push to the state government's ambitious solar power capacity addition targets.
As compared to the existing capacity of 1,612 MW, the government plans to add 2,000 MW of solar power capacity every year for the next five years, state's energy secretary Sujit Gulati had told DNA recently.
POWER-FULL
- Charanka Solar Park was inaugurated in 2012 by then Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
- Installed capacity of 600 MW solar power has been commissioned by 31 developers in the Solar Park.
