Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday will lay the foundation stone of NLC India’s (NLCIL) 300 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Barsingsar of Bikaner district in Rajasthan.

The lignite miner’s plant is part of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) CPSE Scheme. The objective is to ensure affordable power supply to government entities, Coal Ministry said.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the power plant virtually.

The Navratna company stands as the first CPSE to reach a 1 gigawatt (GW) solar capacity milestone in the country. It has secured a 300 MW solar project capacity in the CPSE Scheme Phase-II Tranche-III floated by the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) through competitive bidding, it added.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology, including high-efficiency bifacial modules manufactured in India, the solar project aligns with the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative.

The electricity generated will be transmitted through the pre-existing power transmission lines of Barsingsar Thermal Power Station (TPS), aiming to produce around 750 million units (MU) of green power annually, offsetting carbon dioxide emissions by around 18,000 tonnes over its lifetime.

The power usage agreement for the project has been inked with Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam (RVNL) at a competitive tariff of ₹2.52 per unit for the next 25 years.

The project is slated for commissioning by September 2024 with the potential to create employment opportunities for around 600 individuals indirectly during the project phase and 100 personnel during the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) phase.

Besides, this project will enable Rajasthan to fulfill its Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPOs) while contributing to the nation’s journey towards achieving a Net Zero future.

NLCIL currently operates the 250 MW Barsingsar Thermal Power Station (BTPS), which utilises environmentally friendly Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion technology and is fueled by pithead 2.1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) Barsingsar Mine. The mine has been awarded a prestigious Five Star Rating by the Coal Ministry acknowledging its exceptional performance.

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