Odisha bets big on solar power, plans to set up 1,000-MW park.

Odisha has unveiled an ambitious plan to set up a 1,000-Mw solar park. 'There is a proposal for setting up a 1,000-Mw solar park. The identification of land for the project is underway. For setting up such a park, about 5,000 acres are required. Since it is an uphill task to get a contiguous patch of 5,000 acres in Odisha, the park might be developed in clusters,' said a government official in the know of the matter.

The park, to be developed on a public-private partnership mode, has been formally approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. It was likely to involve an investment of about Rs 6,500 crore, the official said.

The state government is expected to commit a provision to buy 20 per cent of the power generated from the park. Power producers would have an option to sell the remaining power out of Odisha at bilateral prices, upon securing the first right of refusal from the state government.

To develop the park, Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Ltd (Gedcol) is likely to sign a pact with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), after securing the approval of the state government. Gedcol is the nodal agency to explore renewable energy resources in the state.

'We have not decided (on the solar park) yet. Idco (Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Develo-pment Corporation) has been asked to identify land. A decision will be taken after that,' said Suresh Mohapatra, energy secretary, Odisha.

BS