EESL Plans to Set Up 1,500-MW De-centralized Solar Power Plants by 2021

State-owned Energy Efficient Services Ltd (EESL) has forayed into solar power generation and intends to set up 1,500 MW of decentralised solar power plants across the country by the end of 2020-21, its managing director, Mr Saurabh Kumar said.

The Maharashtra government had given mandate for 800 mw of solar power, out of which EESL has already operationalised 100 MW whereas EESL was given order to set up 113 MW of solar distributed generation projects in Rajasthan, Mr Kumar added.

In Maharashtra, EESL is supplying electricity at Rs 3.10 (US$ 0.04) per unit to agriculture feeders, with land for the project being provided by the state while in Rajasthan, the company will supply power at Rs 3.90 (US$ 0.055) per unit along with land acquisition cost, he said.

Though, the company plans not to set up solar capacity of more than 10 MW at one location, said Mr Kumar, further adding that the capacity of these solar power plants in each substation ranges from 0.5 MW to 10 MW.

According to Mr Kumar, the decentralised solar plants will meet the requirements of farmers connected to the agriculture feeder. He said EESL has installed 1.1 million smart meters in New Delhi Municipal Corp area, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Bihar. EESL has set a target of installing 250 million smart meters over the next few years.

Source: IBEF