Tirupati Temple, NTPC to sign MoU for solar projects

The world renowned Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) or ‘Tirupati Temple’ situated in Andhra Pradesh will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN) to commission solar photovoltaic power projects. These projects are going to come up at Tirumala and Tirupati. The temple administration will purchase solar energy generated from these projects.

The temple trust board is presently under the chairmanship of YV Subba Reddy .

NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited held a number of meetings with the temple authorities. They also had a series of inspections of the proposed sites and thereafter the NVVN representatives agreed to TTD’s proposals. It will now develop and commission solar power plants at multiple locations in the hill town.

While the TTD will provide the required land for 25 years, the capital cost for the project will be borne by NVVN. The power generated by the solar plants will be purchased by the TTD for the next 25 years. The price of the power generated will be determined by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), though it is likely to be well below Rs 3 per unit.

Last year, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) announced that it will initiate efforts to turn the Tirumala temple into an energy efficient centre. Preliminary audit brought out the need to replace existing pump sets, air conditioners and ceiling fans that would save about Rs 4.5 crore annually for the temple.

It was reported in July, 2021 that Tirumala temple was planning to go for rooftop solar systems in all colleges, schools and buildings of the temple with the support of agencies that included New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP).

A month later, the executive officer of the temple said that the temple administration had planned to generate 5 MW power from a project sprawling over 25 acres atop Dharmagiri, in Seshachalam hill ranges. He called it necessary to cater to the green energy needs of the Tirpupati temple. For TTD, by far the richest Hindu temple in the world, adding sustainable initiatives to the many chartable and development works it is engaged in makes a lot of sense.  We have been seeing how religious places across the spectrum have been exploring alternative options vis a vis a energy generation from Solar energy.