Odisha is now Power Surplus Thanks to Increase in Renewable Generation

The coastal state of Odisha is now a power surplus state as it has been making significant strides towards renewable generation, state officials have said.

The coastal state of Odisha has become a power surplus state as it has been making significant strides towards renewable and green energy generation, state officials have confirmed. The average annual power demand of the state comes around 3,200 MW, while Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO) is all set to generate around 4,300 MW of electricity during the current (2020-21) fiscal, its managing director Trilochan Panda said.

According to him, Odisha’s total power generation had reached 3,489 MW during the 2019-20 financial year.

PTI reported that reviewing the progress in energy generation from different sources, Chief Secretary A K Tripathy directed officials to “ensure uninterrupted quality power supply to rural areas and the industrial sector.” He also asked GRIDCO to “adopt more effective commercial strategies for the sale of power.”

The chief secretary also directed the Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) to “explore the possibilities of producing more green energy from existing dams having no land acquisition and displacement issues.”

The state has made significant strides in the generation of green energy, he said. The power generation from hydro sources has increased from 695 MW in FY11 to 854 MW in FY20, the official said. In addition to this, the generation from non-conventional renewable energy (RE) sources has increased from 664 MW in 2019-20 to 1,079 MW in 2020-21, he added.

Tripathy directed the authorities to enhance the power generation from green sources to 1,500 MW during the next fiscal. Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has set the RPO (renewable purchase obligation) of the state at 11 percent for FY22.

Recently, we had reported that the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) on behalf of the Government of India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Odisha to develop Agro-Photovoltaic projects in the state.

According to the MoU, SECI will develop the grid-tied agro-photovoltaic projects in the coastal state in collaboration with the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA). SECI has said that the agricultural land would be taken up under the ‘Annual Lease Model’ from interested farmers. The government will directly execute the lease deed for a period of 25 years with the farmers without involving any brokers, SECI added.