SUBJECT :Energy 

The home turf of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal — Lambi Assembly segment — is all set to become the hub of renewable energy production in the state with some new projects coming up in the near future. This VVIP constituency already houses a 19 MW solar power project at Panjawa village and a 14.5 MW biomass power project at Channu village. Further, a solar power project of 28 MW commissioned at a cost of Rs 202 crore is scheduled to be inaugurated tomorrow. It is split in two parts — 24 MW at Killianwalli village and 4 MW at Bhitiwala village. Further, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Minister for Renewable Energy Bikram Singh Majithia are scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a 150 MW power project at a total commissioning cost of Rs 798 crore tomorrow at Banwala village. This project is split into five parts having 50 MW in Lambi, 50 MW in Fazilka district and 50 MW in Bathinda district. Notably, Azure Power is the lone company investing in solar power projects in Lambi Assembly constituency. HS Wadhwa and Preet Sandhu, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of the company, said, “We have the highest market share in solar power generation in the state with a total capacity of 225 MW under various stages. In December last year, our company had secured 150 MW out of a total tender capacity of 500 MW for which bids were submitted by 18 companies.” Besides, Muktsar district houses two solar power projects of 2 MW and 1.5 MW at Bhagsar village, a 2 MW solar power project at Lakhewali village and a 1.5 MW solar power project at Bhuttiwala village. The district also houses two biomass cogeneration power projects of 5 MW and 12.5 MW in the industrial units. Amarpal Singh, Chief Executive Officer, PEDA, said, “Once the 150 MW solar power project is commissioned, it will provide electricity to nearly one lakh houses or 340 villages. This plant will be equivalent to planting 13 lakh trees.” He said that Mansa district was leading in solar power generation with 211.53 MW power projects already commissioned, followed by 88.1 MW in Fazilka district, 69.3 MW in Bathinda district and 53 MW in Muktsar district.


Source: June 3, 2016, The Tribune