Maharatna Coal India to set up 1190 MW Solar Power Project in Rajasthan

Tags: Economy/Finance Science and Technology State News

The Government of India owned Maharatna Company, Coal India Limited (CIL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RUVNL), for setting up a 1,190-MW solar power plant in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan on 13 October 2022. The plant will be installed in a 2,000-MW solar park being developed by RVUNL in Poogal, Bikaner.

RVNUL CMD R K Sharma and Technical Director of Coal India Limited, V Reddy signed the MoU in the presence of Union Minister of Coal Prahlad Joshi and Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur.

Recently the e-commerce giant Amazon announced to set up its first solar plant in Rajasthan.

Rajasthan as an attractive destination for solar power 

Rajasthan with Thar Desert is suitable for generation of solar power using the desert's intense heat.  Furthermore, in comparison to the rest of the country, the state is thinly populated. Solar power plants in less populated areas enable clean energy to reach isolated communities that do not have access to electricity.

Rajasthan has the world's largest solar plant with a capacity of 2,245 MW in Bhadla of the Jodhpur district of the state.

In March this year the state government announced two new solar parks of 1,800 MW to be developed in the Jaisalmer and Bikaner districts of the state.

For the 800 MW project in Jaisalmer RNVUL was the developing agency while the 1,000 MW solar power project in Bikaner will be developed by Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation in the first phase.

Private solar project developer Rays Experts also announced in May this year that they will develop the world's largest solar park in Rajasthan with a capacity of 3000 MW. The project will be set up in Bikaner.