UP’s Bundelkhand Now Flaunts 17,515 Acres of Land for Solar Projects

The Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh is offering around 17,515 acres of land for hosting solar projects in the state. The state government has identified these land parcels as suitable for utility-scale, ground-mounted solar power projects.

The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has issued a revised list of its land bank available for clean energy projects, primarily solar, in the region. The state nodal agency has earmarked district-wise land availability across Bundelkhand. UPNEDA has provided details of land parcels in four identified districts—Jalaun, Jhansi, Chitrakoot and Lalitpur.

Among the available land parcels, Lalitpur accounts for the largest share. The identified land includes approximately 2,132 acres in Jalaun district, about 2,049 acres in Jhansi, nearly 1,667 acres in Chitrakoot, and around 11,667 acres in Lalitpur.

Why Bundelkhand for Solar?

The Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, located close to the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh borders, has emerged as a strong destination for renewable energy investments due to its geography and terrain.

Situated on the Vindhyan plateau and characterised by rocky outcrops, the region offers distinct advantages for ground-mounted solar projects. Its long history of droughts and water stress has resulted in relatively lower population density, easing challenges related to land acquisition and encroachment—issues commonly faced in the Gangetic belt. Supported by focused policy initiatives from UPNEDA and other state departments, Bundelkhand is increasingly becoming a preferred hub for clean energy investments in Uttar Pradesh.

UPNEDA’s Focus on Bundelkhand

UPNEDA views Bundelkhand as a critical region for attracting solar investments and has structured its policies accordingly. Under the Solar Energy Policy 2022, the state agency has earmarked Bundelkhand with the objective of removing procedural bottlenecks related to land availability. The policy allows the allocation of land for solar projects at a maximum rate of five acres per MW to project developers.

The policy also makes specific provisions to strengthen the transmission network for evacuating solar power from the Bundelkhand region through the development of a Green Energy Corridor. UPNEDA has proposed to bear the cost of constructing transmission lines ranging from 10 km to 20 km, depending on project size, to ensure that standalone solar projects of 4 MW and above are connected to the grid with minimal logistical challenges. The state plans to evacuate around 4 GW of solar power from the region through this dedicated green energy corridor.

UPNEDA has also partnered with SECI, NHPC and THDC India to form joint ventures for the development of solar parks in the Bundelkhand region. It had earlier also announced developing solar projects of 2 GW in these four districts and had issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting participation from solar project developers.