NTPC Commissions 85 MW Solar project in Uttar Pradesh

National power generator NTPC informed the stock exchanges yesterday that it has commissioned an 85 MW solar power project at Bilhaur in Uttar Pradesh. The filing follows the commissioning of the last leg of 15 MW capacity of the project earlier this month. This 85 MW addition in Bilhaur follows an existing 140 MW capacity that was commissioned last year in the same area (Bilhaur). For Uttar Pradesh, the project is a welcome addition to the state’s solar capacity, as it continues to depend on PSU derived push for ramping up capacities.

“Consequent upon successful commissioning of last part capacity of 15 MW of 85 MW Bilhaur Solar PV Project at Bilhaur, UP, the unit is declared to be on Commercial Operation from 00:00 Hrs. of April 8, 2021,” a BSE filing said.

With this, the total installed capacity of NTPC and NTPC group is now 52400 MW and 65825 MW, respectively and the commercial capacity of NTPC and NTPC group has become 51740 MW and 64505 MW in the same order.

NTPC, as the country’s largest power producer, is set to play a key role in its renewable energy expansion too, with a solar project pipeline that has been growing in recent years, even as it pulls back slowly from being an almost exclusively thermal power producer till a few years back. The group has a target of generating 25 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2032, which would entail 32 GW of solar by then.