State to get largest solar energy farm

Maharashtra, that is reeling under an acute power crisis, will soon get the world’s largest single site solar energy farm, in Dhule district.

Maharashtra, that is reeling under an acute power crisis, will soon get the world’s largest single site solar energy farm, in Dhule district. The plant, scheduled to be ready by March 31, 2012, will generate 150 mega watts of power of which Mumbai’s island city will get 25MW; the rest will go to the state distribution company.

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The state cabinet approved the proposal at its weekly meeting on Friday.

After the meeting chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said that the state would contribute 20% equity (Rs 397 crore) to the Rs 1,987-crore plant. Mahagenco, the state’s power generation company, will raise the rest of the investment through loans from KFW, a German government-owned development bank. Mahagenco is already working on a 5MW solar capacity set-up in Chandrapur.

Mahagenco will sell the solar power at a rate of Rs 17.91 per unit to Mahavitaran and Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking.