NE India's biggest solar power plant comes up in Assam's Sivasagar

Guwahati, May 31

Northeast India's biggest solar power project, with a generation capacity of 70 MW, was inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Amguri in Sivasagar district on Tuesday.

The Rs 300-crore Amguri solar park project was executed by Jackson Power Private Ltd, as solar power developer, with the government-owned Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd (APGCL) acting as solar power park developer.

Inaugurating the plant, the Chief Minister said that four more solar power projects with 25 MW generation capacity each would be commissioned soon in different parts of the state.

Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised to generate more energy from solar and renewable sources, Sarma announced that 1,000 MW solar power would be generated within three years in Assam.

"The state government is trying to make Assam a green energy hub. Assam currently requires 2,200 MW power to provide electricity to all households across the state," he said, adding that with the better collection of the electricity bill, the Assam government has registered a profit of Rs 800 crore this year.

The APGCL is also making profit, the Chief Minister added.

The foundation of the Amguri solar park project was laid by then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on February 19, 2019. The target date of commissioning of the project was December 2021.

Noting that under the Assam government's flagship scheme 'Orunodoi', Rs 1,000 has been provided per month to around 22 lakh beneficiaries, mostly women, Sarma also announced that from now onwards Rs 1,250 per month would be provided to the beneficiaries under the scheme so that they could pay their electricity bills.

More seven lakh people would be included in the scheme, he added.