The Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) is set to build three renewable energy projects that would generate 5,314MW of power through solar, wind and pumped energy storage modes.
AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has virtually laid the foundations for the projects that entail INR258.5bn ($3.13bn) investment.
All three renewable energy projects, planned to be built in the Nandyala district, are expected to create jobs for nearly 5,300 people.
Reddy said: “We are taking every step to put Andhra Pradesh at the forefront of green energy. Today, we are generating 9,000MW of power from solar and wind sources.”
The first project, a 2,300MW Greenko Energies solar power project at Junuthala village in Owk mandal, entails INR103.5bn investment and will employ 2,300 people.
The second project, a 1,014MW renewable energy project at Kandikayapalle village in Panyam mandal, includes a 700MW solar power plant and 314MW wind power facility.
Entailing INR45bn investment, the solar and wind project will be built by Luxembourg-based Arcelor Mittal and is expected to create 1,000 jobs.
The third project, a 2,000MW solar and wind power generation project, with 1,000MW capacity each, at Muddavaram village in Bethamcherla mandal.
Involving an INR110bn investment, the solar and wind project will be built by Indian renewable projects developer Ecoren and create jobs for 2,000 people.
In addition, AP’s state-owned power utility APGENCO has signed agreements for a 1,000MW pumped storage project at Yaganti and another 950MW project at Kapalapadu.
APGENCO has signed the agreements with India’s state-owned hydropower company NHPC.
The AP government and NHPC will jointly execute the projects, with a total capacity of 2,000MW, and equally share the costs, estimated at INR100bn.
It has also signed an agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to source 7,200MW of power over 25 years at INR2.4 per unit to offer free power to farmers.
Furthermore, the state government has identified 37 locations to explore the possibility of setting up 41,000MW of pumped storage power projects.
It has completed the feasibility studies for projects in 29 locations for 33,240MW, while detailed project reports (DPRs) are in place for 20,900MW of projects.
