Over 2.9 GW of solar power park projects with central financial assistance (CFA) of over ₹384 million (~$5.3 million) have been approved in Uttar Pradesh and the northeastern states of the country, Union Power Minister R.K. Singh said in response to questions raised in the Lok Sabha.

About 80 MW of these projects with ₹4.27 million (~$59,000) in CFA disbursements have been approved in the northeastern region.

The minister said that no solar power parks had been approved in Tripura since the state government had not made any proposals yet.

In Uttar Pradesh, about 2,840 MW of solar projects have been approved across solar parks with a CFA of ₹380 million (~$5.2 million). These projects are being developed under the program for the development of solar parks and ultra-mega power projects. The details are furnished below:

Replying to another question, Singh said that no hydropower projects were being considered either in Uttar Pradesh or the northeastern states.

The minister listed several measures the center had taken to harness and utilize solar energy in these states. They included permitting foreign direct investment up to 100%, waiving interstate transmission system charges for solar and wind projects up to June 30, 2023, declaring renewable purchase obligations until 2022, laying new transmission lines, and adding substation capacity under the Green Energy Corridor Program for renewable power.

Singh said that the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM), Solar Rooftop Program Phase II, 12,000 MW Central Public Sector Undertaking Program Phase II, and Solar Park Program were among solar energy programs being implemented in these states.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, Uttar Pradesh has issued tenders for 6.6 GW of solar projects. The northeastern region – comprising Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura – have floated tenders for 635 MW of solar projects.

In December 2020, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had approved the revised cost estimates for the North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) at a cost of ₹67 billion (~$910 million). The project aims to strengthen the intra-state transmission and distribution systems in the region.