AP to become Number One' in Green Energy

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said renewable energy projects will help Andhra Pradesh  become ‘number one’ in green energy.

The Chief Minister set the foundation stone, in virtual mode, for three renewable energy projects for producing 5,314 mw power in Nandyal district on Wednesday.

APGenco signed an MoU with National Hydro-Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) in the presence of the Chief Minister to promote pumped storage power projects.

The CM set the foundation stones for the 2,300 mw solar power project to be set up by Greenko at Junuthala village in Owk mandal, a 700 mw solar and 314 mw wind power plants by AM Green Energy at Kandikayapalle village in Panyam mandal and a 1,000 mw solar and wind power projects each by Ecoren Energy at Muddavaram village in Bethamcherla mandal.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said that these companies would invest Rs 10,350 crore, Rs 4,500 crore and Rs 11,000 crore, creating employment opportunities for 2,300, 1,000 and 2,000 persons respectively.

The CM said that pump storage power projects were environment-friendly and would reduce dependence on fossil fuels. He released a white paper on the opportunities for investments in the green hydrogen sector in the state.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “Pump storage power projects will help us produce power during peak hours and bring in a revolution in green energy, which will control the world in future. The state will become a part of the green energy revolution.  In all, 37 locations have been identified to start pump storage units to produce 41,000 mw and feasibility studies were completed on 29 projects for producing 33,240 mw power.  DPRs are ready for projects to produce 20,900 mw, out of which companies were permitted to begin work to produce 16,180 mw.”

The Chief Minister explained that as per the MoU between APGenco and NHPC, the two will set up 1,000 mw and 950 mw pump storage units at Yaganti and Kapalapadu respectively with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore in partnership mode These units would provide jobs to 2,000 persons.

He said APGenco and NHPC would also set up pump storage power units worth 2750 mw in three more locations for which feasibility studies are underway, he said.

He said: ”Besides providing jobs to locals, the companies will also pay a royalty of Rs 1 lakh for each MW and pay farmers Rs  30,000 per acre every year with a price escalation of five per cent every two years for giving their lands. The state is already producing 8,999 mw of solar and wind power.”

“The agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation to get power at Rs 2. 49 per unit will help in the supply of free power to farmers during day time for another 25 to 30 years.”

Energy minister P. Ramachandra Reddy, finance minister Buggana Rajendranath, deputy chief minister (endowments) K. Satyanarayana, chief secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy, APGenco MD K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu, NREDCAP VC & MD S. Ramana Reddy,  British deputy high commissioner Gareth Wynn Owen, deputy head mission (UK government) Varun Mali, senior adviser to UK government Nishnat Singh, NHPC finance director RP Goel, Greenko vice president Seshagiri Rao, AM Green Energy business head Samir Mathur, Ecoren Energy CMD Lakshmi Prasad and others were present.