MP and UP to Collaborate on a 2 GW Solar Project

MP and UP to Collaborate on a 2 GW Solar Project

In what is probably a first at this scale for a renewable project, Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Uttar Pradesh (UP) are undertaking a new 2 GW solar power project which would help to meet the seasonal electricity demands of both states. Madhya Pradesh’s peak power demand usually coincides with rabi crop season between October and March, while Uttar Pradesh with its kharif crop between April and September. This seasonal fluctuation in the demand of the states is influenced by the agricultural cycles of the states-UP harvests kharif crops during the months July to October, and MP cultivates rabi crops between November to March.

Speaking at the Re-Invest Summit in Gandhinagar last week, Additional Chief Secretary of MP’s Power and Renewable Energy Department, Manu Srivastava said, “the idea is every state will purchase power from the solar plants for six months in a year.”  Furthermore, he stated, “that the solar plant will feed power to UP in the first half of the year and to MP in the second half.” The first half of the project is planned to be built on 2GW of capacity. It is proposed to be built in Morena, MP, and is expected to have invitation of bids in four months and followed by construction within 12 months.

Srivastava said the tariffs for the solar power will be uniform and will be discovered through competitive bidding.  The estimated cost of the project is still undisclosed. Plans to increase the capacity further are also being made in both the states, which would involve a solar park system. The experience gathered so far has also proven the idea of developing a solar park system to be a success, like in the case of Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project in MP.

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Analysis of demand pattern reveals that MP has witnessed peaking demand at 10-12 GW between December and March while UP has seen the record to go up to 28 GW during the summertime of May-June. Both states are going adding significant renewables capacity. At the end of the decade MP is targeting to have a capacity of 20 GW and UP is targeting 22 GW solar capacity by 2026-27.