The Hindu 14.02.2013
Solar energy park to be ready by May at Paramakudi
A dozen companies evince interest in setting up power plants in the park.
Raasi Green Earth Energy Private Ltd (RGEE), which had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) for establishing Rs. 920 crore solar energy park at Paramakudi, would develop the park by May after completing the land acquisition process by the end of this month.
Giving details of the progress of the project, promoted under the public-private partnership mode, a first of its kind in the country, Mr. C.Narasimhan, Chairman, RGEE said the company had acquired 200 acres of land and complete the process of acquiring 600 acres by the end of this month and make the park ready in the next three months.
“After signing a joint venture agreement with TIDCO in the presence of Chief Minister in December, we have a tie-up with Larsen and Tubro, CanadianSolar, Enerpark and Sgurr to develop the park,” Mr. Narasimhan told The Hindu here after meeting the District Collector here Tuesday night.
He said the park, being established in a high solar power potential shadow free area near Paramakudi, would have “semi plug and play facility” for the investors, who wished to set up their power plants in the park. The park would also have facilities for power evacuation besides common infrastructure support, he said. The park is the first project established under the state government’s solar energy policy, 2012.
Stating that a dozen companies have evinced interest in setting up power plants in the park, Mr. Narasimhan said RGEE would invest about Rs.200 crore in the project. It would develop the park at a cost of Rs. 120 crore and establish a 10 MW unit at a cost of Rs.80 crore.
The companies, which have shown “expression of interest” would be required to establish a power plant to produce a minimum of 5 MW, involving an investment of Rs. 40 crore at the rate of Rs. 8 crore per MW, he said adding “by the end of this year, we will generate 100 MW from the park.”
Mr. Narasimhan said the park would provide direct employment to 1,000 people and indirect employment to a similar number. Imported high end solar cells and panels would be used in the power plants to achieve highest production, he said.
The existing 100 MW grid at Kavanur, near the upcoming park would provide the much needed power evacuation facility, he said. A sub-station and extension bay would be built at a cost of Rs.40 crore and connectivity cables for power evacuation would be provided at the doorsteps of each developer, he added.
Mr. Narasimhan said the land acquisition process has turned out to be a smooth process, thanks to District Collector K. Nanthakumar, who has appointed a nodal officer to verify land records and ensure they were free from encumbrance. He was getting good support from TIDCO and Tamil Nadu Industries and Power Ministries, he said.
In deference to the wishes of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, he would establish similar solar energy parks elsewhere in the State to produce a total of 1,000 MW of power. The second solar energy park in the State would come up in Krishnagiri Lok Sabha constituency, which he had represented during 1996-98, he said. The other solar parks would be established in the districts of Tiruvannamalai, Ariyalur, Pudukottai, Dharmapuri, Tiruchi and Perambalur, he added.
Assessment Station
A fully monitoring Solar Radiation Resource Assessment Station would be established in the park with the assistance of Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, C. Narasimhan, Chairman of Raasi Green Earth Energy Pvt Ltd (RGEE), has said.
The station with satellite link facilities would measure solar radiation inside the park and disseminate the details to all developers in the park. The developers, who set up power plants, could make use of the facility free of cost, he said.
Similarly, a Solar Energy Technical Centre and Training Centre would be established in the park for the benefit of participating companies, he said.
The Technical Centre would keep developers informed of advanced technologies in the sphere of solar energy while the Training Centre would impart training on solar projects to the personnel, he said.
“Besides, there will be security and peace of mind in the park,” he added.
