Rajasthan inks MoUs with four CPSEs for setting up solar power, thermal, green hydrogen projects

Rajasthan government has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with NTPC, CIL, NLC India and SJVN for setting 28.5 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity and one million tonnes of green hydrogen manufacturing facility.

NTPC signed a MoU with Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam (RRVUNL) to explore opportunities for adding supercritical units to the existing Chhabra Thermal Power Plant (TPP).

Additionally, the parties aim to implement measures to enhance efficiency and reduce the generation cost of the plant’s existing units. The MoU also includes the undertaking of 15 to 20-year annuity-based Renovation and Modernization (R&M) of old thermal units of RRVUNL by NTPC or its affiliates.

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Besides, NTPC Green Energy (NGEL) inked the MoU with RVUNL for the development of Renewable Energy (RE) projects and green hydrogen derivatives up to 25 GW and one million tonnes capacities, respectively, in Rajasthan.

In a separate development, mining behemoth Coal India (CIL) also signed a MoU RRVUNL for exploration and execution of 4,100 MW capacity power projects.

The proposed projects include 1,600 MW coal based pit-head power plant to come up in a coal bearing state, whose power would be drawn by Rajasthan. Others are a 2,000 MW solar power project in RRVUNL’s solar park; 200 MW pump storage project at Jawahar Sagar; a 250 MW of solar project on the land acquired for Banswara TPP by RRVUNL and 50 MW wind project at the existing Ramgarh gas project in Jaisalmer.

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Meanwhile, lignite miner NLCIL signed the MOU with the Rajasthan government for formation of a joint venture to set up a 125 MW lignite-based power plant and 1,000 MW solar power plant. The MoU entails an investment of more than ₹7,000 crore.

In a separate development, SJVN Green Energy (SGEL), a subsidiary of SJVN, signed a long term power usage agreement (PUA) for 500 MW solar power.

Under the agreement, SGEL would supply 500 MW power at a tariff of ₹2.57 per unit, from the 1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project being developed by SGEL under Phase-II (Tranche-3) of the Central Public Sector Units Scheme.

It is the country’s largest single-location project. Being developed at Bikaner, the 1000 MW Solar Project is expected to generate 2,454.84 million units of energy in the first year and a cumulative energy of about 56,474 million units over a period of 25 years. It is being developed at a cost of ₹5,491 crore and is expected to be commissioned by September 30, 2024.

Under the Power Purchase Agreement, SGEL will supply 100 MW Solar Power at a tariff of ₹2.62 per unit, from the project bagged by SGEL through competitive bidding for which Letter of Award was issued by RUVITL on October 6, 2023.

The project is expected to generate 252 million units of energy in the first year and a cumulative energy of 5,866 million units over a period of 25 years.

The project will be developed on 387.56 acres of land of Sambhar Salts at Nawa leased in favour of SGEL for a period of 28 years. The project will be developed on Build, Own and Operate (BOO) basis at a tentative cost of ₹550 crore.

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