Madhya Pradesh on the path to solar sovereignty: CM Yadav

Under CM Yadav’s leadership, the state celebrates the successful launch of the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Project, as it positions itself as a global leader in solar energy innovation and investment.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that Madhya Pradesh is progressing rapidly to emerge as a Solar Energy State under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The world’s largest Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project has become functional. It has been included as a case study by Harvard University. Along with this, the world’s largest floating solar project of 600 MW capacity is also being developed on the Narmada River in Omkareshwar. Many small and major solar energy projects are under construction in different regions of the state.

Chief Minister Yadav said that recently in the National Summit on Renewable Energy Investment held in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat, many industrialists have expressed their willingness to set up solar plants in Madhya Pradesh. In the capital Bhopal, a campaign will be launched to encourage the installation of solar panels on government buildings and roofs of houses. With these efforts, Madhya Pradesh is fast moving towards becoming a solar energy-rich state.

Harvard University refers to the Rewa project as a perfect example. The world’s largest Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power Park and Plant located in Madhya Pradesh is being taught as an ideal example of excellent management, operation, and solar energy production in the world’s most renowned Harvard University. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power Plant is not only the world’s largest plant but is also the plant producing commercial energy at the lowest rate in the world. From here, electricity will be available at INR 3.30 per unit for the next 25 years. 

Madhya Pradesh has abundant solar energy. It has more than 300 sunshine days. It is the country’s first solar project being funded through the World Bank’s Clean Technology Fund. Today half of the world’s 10 largest solar projects are in India. Rewa Solar Power Plant is one among them. It began when the Government of India started the Solar Park scheme in 2014 to promote solar power. In this scheme, solar projects with more than 500 MW capacity were included in solar parks and were called Ultra Mega Solar Parks. It was told in the case study that India has an estimated barren land of 4 lakh 67 thousand square meters where solar plants can be set up.

In Madhya Pradesh, 1579 hectares of land were assessed, which includes 1255 hectares of barren land and 384 hectares of private land. Thus began the construction of the Rewa Solar Ultra Mega Solar Plant. The journey of the Rewa Solar Power Plant is interesting. It started in June 2014 with the allotment of 275 hectares of land in Badwar village. The state government approved the establishment of the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Plant in April 2015. Two months later, Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited was established in which a joint venture of 50 per cent each was established with the Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam and SECI. Next, 981 hectares of land were allotted in the villages of Barwar, Barseta Desh, Barseta Pahad, Itar Pahad, and Ramnagar Pahad. By the year 2018-19, barren land available in more villages was allotted for the project. Power supply to Delhi Metro Railway Corporation started in April 2019. Commercial production began in January 2020.