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Chandigarh struggling to meet solar power generation target
A senior official from The Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society said since the solar power generation target will not be met by August 15, a meeting of the governing body of CREST had decided to extend the deadline to December 2023
Despite the Centre setting a target of 75 MW solar power generation in Chandigarh by August 15, 2023, the city has been able to achieve only 63.59 MW as of June 30.
Union minister of new and renewable energy and power RK Singh shared this in response to a question during Lok Sabha’s ongoing monsoon session.
The minister shared that the government had set a target of achieving 100 GW of solar power in the country by 2022 and as of June 30, 2023, it stood at 70.10 GW, with an additional 55.90 GW under installation.
The target for Chandigarh was set with the aim of developing it as a model solar city. The Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) is the designated executing agency for the implementation of renewable energy projects in the city.
A senior official from CREST said since the target will not be met by August 15, a meeting of the governing body of CREST had decided to extend the deadline to December 2023.
Chandigarh is now aiming to achieve 100 MW by 2025. UT officials said a consultant will be hired to draw a detailed strategy to ensure that solar power becomes the primary source for city’s power needs by 2030.
The official stated that 10 MW solar power projects, including two floating solar power plants at the waterworks in Sector 39, were approved during the meeting. A total of 23 solar power projects will also be set up across the city.
As many as 20 solar power plants, with a total capacity of 4.5 MW, are expected to be completed by July.
Among these, CREST plans to set up a 4 MW solar power plant on Patiala Ki Rao rivulet near Botanical Garden in Sarangpur and another 2 MW power plant on the rivulet opposite the dumping ground in Dadumajra.
Another 2 MW plant will be set up on N-Choe near Garden of Conifers in Sector 52 and another, with a capacity of 500 kW, near the Sports Complex in Sector 42, the official added.
