Gujarat will soon become hub of solar energy generation, says Modi

Chief Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the state is all set to become a hub of solar energy generation, adding that Surat itself will produce half of the total power generated in Gujarat in the coming years.

He said this at the inauguration ceremony of Sugen Mega Power plant at Kamrej in Surat. This is India’s first and also the largest private sector gas-based power project. It will produce clean energy of 1100 MW.

Modi said: “Surat has all five — hydro, thermal, gas, nuclear and liquid-based — power plants, which is not found anywhere else in the country. In 2012, Surat will cross the present total power production in Gujarat.”

He announced to give power connection to all the tribal farmers — who had applied for the same for their agricultural fields — during the Swarnim Gujarat Celebrations next year. “Work for setting up of a substation for transmission of power is under progress,” he said.

Modi said the state will produce 3000 MW of solar energy in the coming years and a plant will be also set up in Vadodara, wherein foreign companies will have manufacturing units of gigantic transformers.

The Kamrej plant consists of three power blocks of 382.5 MW capacity each. Sources said the company had also signed a Joint Venture with the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) to construct and erect a 400 KV double circuit transmission line connecting Sugen to Ahmedabad and PGCIL transmission system at Dahej.

Sudhir Mehta, Chairman of the Torrent Group, said: “To meet the power demand in the country, we have set up the dream project. The power generated at Sugen will be distributed to Ahmedabad and Surat, and the surplus will be sold to other states.”

He added that the company has plans to increase the generation capacity in the coming years to 6000 MW. “The fourth unit will be added shortly,” he said.

Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was also present at the event. He said the Prime Minister is working on ways to increase the growth rate of the country “and the power generation sector can play an important role in it”. He added: “In the current Five Year Plan, we have set a target of 80,000 MW and still two and half years are left. We will achieve the target.”

State Energy and Petrochemicals Minister Saurabh Patel said that in the next three years, the state government will give 10 lakh gas connections through piped gas “so that women in the villages will not have to face any problem and will also be able to save money”.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora, Gujarat Power Minister Bharatsinh Solanki, state ministers Narottam Patel, Saurabh Patel, Mangu Patel and Wolfgang Dehen, CEO of Energy, Siemens, Germany were present at the occassion.