Coal India to Set Up 1190 MW Solar Power Plant in Rajasthan

Coal India Ltd (CIL) will set up a 1,190-MW solar power plant in Bikaner district of Rajasthan. For this, the CIL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RUVNL). The solar plant will be set up in a 2,000-MW solar park being developed by RVUNL in Poogal, Bikaner.

“Rajasthan is now a leader in the field of solar and wind energy. The state has simplified rules and introduced a new solar and wind energy policy. This is allowing for continuous investment in renewable energy,” Ashok Gehlot, chief minister, said.

Invest Rajasthan Summit, which was held recently, saw maximum MoUs in the solar energy field.

CM Gehlot stated that Coal India’s MoU for solar project with RVUNL of Rs5,400 crore is a sign of good coordination between the Centre and the state government.

He further said, uninterrupted power supply could be provided to the common man through the establishment of a solar park. This would also help in reducing pollution and saving coal.

A Solar Park with a total power generation capability of 2000 MW would be set up in Poogal Tehsil, Bikaner district under the joint aegis RVUNL/CIL, he added.

Coal India will set up a 1190 MW solar project, and RVUNL will set up a 810 MW solar project.

Bikaner’s state government has allocated 4,846 hectares for the solar park.

Gehlot stated that in order to reap the benefits of increased investment in solar energy in the state the production and assembly work for solar power plants must be done within the state. This will provide new opportunities for local employment.

Although the supply of coal to Rajasthan was affected by difficulties in mining at coal mines in Chhattisgarh’s coal mines, the Chief Minister stated that the State government had managed to increase the number of coal-rakes. He said that the economic burden had been reduced by the cancellation of Centre’s order to buy 10% of the State’s coal requirements in the form expensive imported coal.