PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Rewa Solar Power Project in MP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 750 MW Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power Project in Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing on July 10, 2020. Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel was also present in the virtual programme along with MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Power and Union Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh.

The Prime Minister in his inaugural address said that the solar plant will not only provide electricity to the industries in Rewa and but also to metro rail in Delhi. Besides Rewa, solar power plants are also being developed at Shajapur, Chhatarpur and Neemuch. PM Modi said that when all these projects are ready, Madhya Pradesh will become a hub of cheap and clean electricity, benefiting the poor, middle-class families, tribals and farmers of the state.

With this solar plant at Rewa, the industries here will not only get electricity, but even the metro rail in Delhi will get its benefits. Apart from Rewa, work is underway on solar power plants in Shajapur, Neemuch and Chhatarpur: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/3lrmaizEHb

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2020

PM Modi said that solar energy will be a medium of energy needs of the 21st century because solar power is pure and secure. 

Not just for the present, solar energy will be a medium of energy needs of the 21st century because solar power is sure, pure and secure: Prime Minister Modi after dedicating to the nation the 750 MW Solar Project set up at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/MQ8U3BVbwn

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2020

Rewa Solar Power Project

• Prime Minister Modi dedicated the 750 MW Rewa solar project to the nation at 11 am through virtual meeting at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. Spread over 1,590 acres of land, it is one of the largest single-site solar power plants in Asia. 

• The ultra-mega solar power project comprises three solar units of 250 megawatt each on a 500 hectare plot inside the Solar Park. It is expected to help reduce carbon emission equivalent to about 15 lakh ton of CO2 per year. 

• The project will be the first renewable energy project to supply institutional customers outside the state, including Delhi Metro. 

• As per reports, around 24 percent of the power generated by the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Plant will go to Delhi Metro Rail Services. The remaining 76 per cent will be supplied to the state distribution companies of Madhya Pradesh.

• The solar project was developed by Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL). The company is a joint venture of Solar Energy Corporation of India and Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited.

• The total cost of the project is expected to be around Rs 4000 crore. In January 2018, the World Bank had approved USD 30 million loan for the internal infrastructure of the project.

• The centre had provided financial assistance worth Rs 138 crore to RUMSL for the development of the solar park. 

Background

The Rewa Solar Project is first solar project in the country to break the grid parity barrier. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the national goal to achieve 100 GW of solar power generation capacity by 2022 when India will complete 75 years of its Independence from British rule. The inauguration of the mega solar power plants will be a forward step for India in realising this goal and shifting dependence on more environment-friendly and renewable energy sources.