BHEL to set up 4000 MW solar energy project in Rajasthan

The plant will be set up in two phases over a period of 7 years with Phase I comprising 1,000 MW and the balance 3,000 MW in subsequent phase.

An Ultra Mega Solar Power Project (UMSPP) with a cumulative capacity of 4,000 MW will be set up in Rajasthan in the Sambhar Salts Limited (SSL) area close to Sambhar Lake, about 75 kms. from Jaipur.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Sambhar Salts Limited (SSL), Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), Sutlej JalVidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) and Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier this year for formation of a Joint Venture Company (JVC) for setting up of a Ultra Mega Solar Power Project (UMSPP) with a cumulative capacity of 4,000 MW in phases at Sambhar in Rajasthan on build, own and operate basis.

The proposed equity participation in the JVC is: BHEL – 26 percent, SECI – 23 percent, SSL – 16 percent, POWERGRID – 16 percent, SJVNL – 16 percent, and REIL – 3 percent.

The project set up on land provided by SSL will have equipment supplied by BHEL, power evacuation by POWERGRID, sale of electricity by SECI, O&M by REIL and project management by SJVNL. The plant shall be set up in two phases over a period of seven years with Phase I comprising 1,000 MW and the balance 3,000 MW in subsequent phases. The JVC shall be incorporated as a public limited company under the Companies Act, the JVC, under DHI and will have at its registered office in Delhi/NCR.

The solar Power Plant will rely on proven and reliable Crystalline Silicon technology supplemented by refinements in encapsulation hardware and Mounting configuration to surmount the harsh tropical environments. With an estimated plant life of 25 years, the generation potential of the 4,000 MW Solar plant is estimated to be 6400 million units of (Solar) electricity per year.

This is expected to reduce the Carbon footprint by over 4 million tons per year. The mega scale project will not only demonstrate the reliability of Solar PV power but also provide further impetus to this clean, cheap and abundant source of power.