The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh speaking during the plenary session of the chief ministers at the third RE-Invest 2020, said that the contract for developing the 880 MW mega solar park in Spiti has been allocated to SJVN Limited. He said that there was an urgent need to prepare an effective evacuation plan for both these regions.

He urged the central government to prepare an effective plan to evacuate power from the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited’s projects (POWERGRID) in the Spiti region and the Chenab basin of the state.

Chief Minister Jairam Thakur asked the center to approve the establishment of an energy equipment manufacturing hub for the state. He said that the state would provide the manufacturers with electricity at attractive rates and other public utility facilities.

The Chief Minister added that the state government had identified 6 GW renewable capacity in the state’s Spiti region and Chenab basin. He said that the contract for implementing the power project in the Chenab basin had been allocated to SJVN Limited, NTPC Limited, and NHPC.

Speaking on the ‘Green Gaushala’ (using cow manure as raw material for biogas production) program, the Chief Minister said the state government was working to develop the plan, including the production of solar energy and biogas. He noted that the state had immense potential for biogas projects. To exploit the available capacity of power generation, the government has already launched the ‘Pine Needle-based Briquette’ program.

Stressing the state’s unique position with a power generation capacity of 24 GW, which accounts for 40% of the total power generation capacity of the country, he said that 10.6 GW has already been exploited, and the state government has set a target of utilizing another 10 GW in the next ten years.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Power Minister R.K. Singh said that India’s renewable energy capacity has increased by two and a half times in the last seven years. The Union Minister said that the center would provide all necessary support to the state for the ‘Green Gaushala’ program and the energy equipment manufacturing hub. The center would also provide support for the evacuation of power from remote areas of the state.

SJVN, a joint venture of the government of India and Himachal Pradesh is undertaking various renewable energy projects in the state. Recently, it invited bids to develop the 66 MW Dhaulasidh hydroelectric project in the state.

Solar Energy Corporation of India has also issued a request for selection to set up 15 MW of grid-connected floating solar projects in the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh.