Singareni to explore setting up JV solar plants in other States

SCCL plans to meet its complete energy needs with renewable energy generated on its own and could become the first zero-energy coal company in the country

The management of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) has decided to study the possibility of developing solar power projects as joint venture units in other States such as Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka, among others in addition to setting up floating solar plants in reservoirs and on canals across Telangana as part the company’s diversification.

At a review meeting held here on Saturday, Chairman and Managing Director of SCCL N. Balaram stated that they were planning to complete the 72 megawatt capacity solar power plants across the Singareni mining areas out of the 300 MW capacity planned in the first phase. A team of officials would visit the other States and submit a report on setting up solar plants there as JVs.

Director (E&M) D. Satyanarayana Rao said the company was also taking up solar plants with 232 MW capacity across in the Singareni areas in the second phase. The CMD instructed the authorities concerned to finalise the process of tenders of the second phase at the earliest so that the company could meet its complete energy needs with renewable energy generated on its own and could become the first zero-energy coal company in the country.

Of the 224 MW solar power plants developed so far, 852 million units of energy was supplied to the grid in addition to 60,521 million units of energy generated at the thermal power project.

Mr. Balaram wanted the officials speed up the tender process for the 800 MW super critical thermal power plant planned on the existing 2x600 MW thermal power project at the earliest to meet the State’s energy needs. At present, Singareni was meeting about 12% of Telangana’s energy needs from the 1,200 MW thermal project.

He enquired about the progress of flu gas desulphurisation plant being established on the thermal power project premises to make it environment-friendly. Senior executives J.N. Singh, Janakiram, Suryanarayana, Vishwanath Raju, Sudhakar, Kondareddy, K.S.N Prasad and others participated in the meeting.