The Chief Minister of Assam announced that the construction of the Karbi Anglong solar power project will begin soon.
Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Chief Minister, made a public announcement on Friday that the construction of the 1000 MW solar power project in Karbi Anglong, Assam, will begin shortly.
Sarma announced this shortly after laying the foundation stone for a 25 MW solar power generation project at the Namrup Thermal Power Station premises in Dibrugarh district.
The Karbi Anglong project is a joint venture between Assam Power Generation Corporation and Oil India Limited. It spans over 108 acres and has an estimated project cost of Rs 115 crores. Approved by the State Cabinet on August 19, 2022, the solar project aims to generate 50 million units of electricity annually and is scheduled for completion by July 2025.
Sarma cited a significant increase in peak-hour electricity demand in Assam after he became the Chief Minister in 2021. Three years ago, the demand stood at 1800 MW, which has now increased to 2500 MW. The rising number of industries and the electrification of several unelectrified rural areas across the state have been held responsible for this.
The CM also highlighted that Assam presently lacks the production capacity to keep up with this increase. It produces 419 MW of power, leading the government to purchase 2100 MW. Thus, he is hopeful that projects like the solar power initiative in Namrup will enhance the State’s electricity production capacity and significantly reduce dependence on external power purchases.
In addition to the upcoming Karbi Anglong solar power project, which will start soon, Sarma noted that power plants in Barchalla (Sonitpur district) and Khudigaon (Dhubri district) are advancing at various stages of development.
The Chief Minister mentioned further that seven solar power projects are operational in the State currently, collectively generating 175 MW of electricity daily. The 120-MW Lower Kapili Hydropower project is also operating successfully and Sarma expressed confidence that by 2030, the State will generate approximately 3,000 MW of solar electricity.
In the public announcement, the Chief Minister appealed to the eligible households of the State to opt for it to reduce their power consumption expenses, referring to the Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. This scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February this year.
