Rewa ultra mega power project: Here's what you need to know about the first solar project in India
On July 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated a 750-megawatt Rewa Solar Power Plant in Madhya Pradesh which was commissioned in December 2019. In July 2014, the then Minister of State for Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal stated in Lok Sabha about the project. It is expected to reduce the country’s emission equivalent to 15 lakh tonne of carbon dioxide annually and has three units of 250 MW.
List of strategic bridges made by India in 2019-2020
Details of the project
The plant has three solar power generating units, located on a 500-hectare plot of land in a 1,500-hectare solar park. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL) is a joint venture between Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
Funding for the project
Financial assistance of Rs 138 crore for the project was granted by the Central Government. In addition to this, International Finance Corporation, World Bank, has invested around $440 million in the project. It is also India's first solar project to get funding from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) at a rate of 0.25% for 40 years.
Is it the largest solar plant in Asia?
The Rewa Solar Power Plant in Madhya Pradesh is one of the largest single-sight solar plants in India. No, this is not the largest solar plant in Asia.
Who bagged the project?
In 2017, on February 9 and 10, the bidding for the project was done for 33 hours. The project was bagged by Mahindra Renewables Pvt, Arinsun Clean Energy Pvt and ACME Jaipur Solar Power Pvt. in a reverse auction in bidding at tariffs of Rs 2.979, Rs 2.970, and Rs 2.974, respectively, for the first year.
The Rewa Solar Power Plant is the first solar project in India. Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation have contracted the Central Government to buy the power from the project.
The project was listed in the book of innovations-- New Beginnings-- released by Prime Minister Modi. The book is published by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, GoI.
About RUMSL
The Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL) project was established in 2015. Manu Srivastava, Principal Secretary, New & Renewable Energy, Government of Madhya Pradesh became the Chairperson of the project.
