40 MW solar plant ready to power Ayodhya
Ayodhya will soon receive power from a 40 MW solar plant, meeting 40% of its energy needs and supporting 50,000 homes with solar connections.
Ayodhya will soon start getting power supply from a 40 MW solar power plant located at Rampur Halwara in the Manjha area of the district. The plant is ready and soon it will be dedicated to the people of Ayodhya, officials said.
The plant is expected to fulfill 40 per cent electricity requirement of Ayodhya.
Spread over 165 acres, it has come up with a cost of ₹200 crore and is generating 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh units of electricity daily.
According to UPNEDA, the plant will generate 8.65 crore units every year.
At present, the plant will supply electricity to Ayodhya but in future it could supply power to adjoining areas as well.
According to the state government, the solar plant has been given to NTPC on a 30-year lease.
NTPC has appointed Jakson Solar, a leading renewable energy company, to maintain and operate the plant.
As part of the Yogi Adityanath government’s mission to make Ayodhya a model solar city, around 50,000 houses in the temple town will have solar roof top connection in the next two years.
Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana of the Modi government, around one crore houses across the country and 25 lakh houses in Uttar Pradesh will be equipped with solar power.
According to UPNEDA official Praveen Nath Pandey, a door-to-door campaign is being run in the state to create awareness among masses about solar power.
This campaign is being run by Solar Sakshi, a group of women having 10 members each.
“In the next two years, 50,000 houses in Ayodhya will be connected with the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana,” added Pandey.
The state government has made a provision of ₹317 crore in the budget for implementing Solar Energy Policy— 2022.
Ayodhya needs 281 million units of power supply for its 81 lakh houses