Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that the state will be able to produce around 3,000 MW of solar-generated electricity by 2030.
Sarma on Friday laid the foundation stone for a 25-MW solar power generation project at the premises of the Namrup Thermal Power Station in Upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district.
A joint venture between the Assam Power Generation Corporation and Oil India Limited, the project will span 108 acres and is expected to cost ₹115 crore.
Approved by the State Cabinet on August 2022, the solar power project is expected to produce 50 million units of electricity annually by July 2025.
After laying the foundation stone at Namrup, Sarma claimed that when he assumed office in 2021, the peak-hour electricity demand in Assam was only 1,800 MW.
He said the peak load demand in Assam since then has increased to 2,500 MW due to industrial growth and the electrification of previously unelectrified villages.
“We produce only 419 MW of power, and we need to purchase around 2,100 MW of power daily,” the CM said.
Initiatives like the solar power project at Namrup will enhance Assam’s power generation capacity and will significantly reduce power purchase from outside the state, Sarma said.
The Chief Minister said seven solar power projects are now operational in Assam, accounting for 175 MW of daily power generation.
He said the upcoming solar power plants at Barchalla in Sonitpur district and at Khudigaon in Dhubri district will play a major role in guaranteeing Assam’s energy security.
Sarma also announced that the construction of a 1,000-MW solar power plant in Karbi Anglong will begin soon.
Referring to the Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister urged eligible households in the state to opt for the scheme to reduce their power consumption expenses.
