Himachal Pradesh targets to be first 'green energy state' by 2025: CM Sukhu

The Himachal Pradesh government intends to make the state as the first Green Energy State by the end of 2025 by harnessing hydro, hydrogen and solar energy and switching to green products, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Friday.

Presiding over a meeting of senior officers of the energy department and HPSEBL, he directed all the concerned departments including HPSEBL, HIMURJA, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) and the Department of Energy to initiate action in this direction and make policy changes, wherever required.

He said that refurbishing the present system is essential and the departments should focus on harnessing green energy in the best interest of the State. To ease the norms, the Chief Minister directed the officers to make necessary amendments to the existing power policy and open all the solar projects up to 5 MW capacity for allotment.

The state government would also invest in solar plants and will install 500 MW solar projects during the year 2023-24, out of this, 200 MW would be installed by HPPCL for which land has been identified for 70 MW capacity and the rest of the sites will be finalized soon.

Solar projects up to 150 MW capacity would be installed by HIMURJA through private participation and priority would be given to Himachalis in awarding these projects, he said and added that the capacity of the projects will range from 250 KW to 1 MW, he added.

In order to ensure that the state also gets some financial benefits, he directed HIMURJA to evolve a mechanism by seeking royalty of solar projects above 3 MW capacity. In case of land being given to PSUs for developing solar projects, some percentage of land equity may be charged as well, he added.

Sukhu also directed HIMURJA to ensure 5 per cent premium for the state in each solar power project up to 5 MW and 10 per cent share in the solar power projects of more than 5 MW capacity.

He asked HPPCL to expedite the incomplete power projects like Kashang II and III, Shongtong and Karchham and stressed the need for fixing the timeline for each project and complete all these projects by 2025.

Sukhu directed the HPPCL to appoint a consultant for the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) within 10 days and also to submit the report within a month so that the work on the Solar projects could be started.

The Department of Energy and HPPCL will identify sites in other States like Rajasthan where the land is available at discounted rates for installation of Mega Solar Plant.

During the meeting, Sukhu also reviewed the progress of Kishau Dam Project 660 (MW) where the water component was being financed by the Government of India and State in the ratio 90:10 respectively and the Power component to be shared 50-50 by Himachal and Uttrakhand States.

Meanwhile, the CM who presided over a meeting of the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) said that SJVNL has set a benchmark in the power generation sector.

He assured that the State Government will provide all possible support to SJVNL for developing infrastructure for their upcoming power projects and stressed for increase of power share of Himachal Pradesh in the power projects of SJVNL.

Sukhu said that the Government of Himachal Pradesh has received a dividend of Rs. 2355 crore against the equity contribution of Rs. 1055 crore and 12 percent free power from Nathpa Jhakri and Rampur hydro power projects amounting to around Rs. 7000 crore so far.

He said that 22 percent additional power at bus-bar rate from Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) amounting to about Rs. 4200 crore has also been obtained.

Emphasizing on the use of emerging technology of power generation, the Chief Minister said that a pilot plant on Green Hydrogen Generation was under way at NJHPS, Jhakri.

He said that a solar module manufacturing plant at Parwanoo would also be set up by the SJVNL. It was disclosed in the meeting that SJVNL is coming up with five Solar Power Projects (SPPs), in Himachal Pradesh.

Thaplan, Solar Power Project (SPP) of 112.5 MW was being set up in district Una. In addition to this, 20 MW SPP Bhanjal and Kadh in Una district, 20 MW in Fatehpur in Kangra district, 30 MW SPP Kolar in Sirmaur district and 12.5 MW in Rajgir in district Kangra were under pre-construction stage.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government would extend all possible support to the executing agency for setting up these projects and take necessary steps to amend policy for purchase of freehold private land in order to facilitate the company.

He asked to increase the share of State government upto 12 percent in upcoming solar power projects.