March: In a significant stride towards sustainable energy development, Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R K Singh, and Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, jointly laid the foundation stone for the Barethi Solar Power Project of NTPC REL in Madhya Pradesh.
Participating in the event via video conferencing, R K Singh emphasized the pivotal role of electricity in driving development. He commended the historic efforts in the power sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting a near doubling of power capacity in the past decade. The minister highlighted the establishment of a robust transmission network, enabling the seamless transfer of electricity across the country.
The government’s commitment to electrifying every village was underscored by the Power Minister, who noted that power availability has risen to more than 22 hours in rural areas and over 23 hours in urban areas. He declared 24/7 power as a right for the people and highlighted the addition of approximately 3,000 substations along with the upgrade of about 4,000 substations.
As India’s economy experiences rapid growth, the demand for power is surging. RK Singh stressed the need to continually expand power capacity to meet this growing demand. The Barethi Solar Power Project, with a capacity of 630 MW, represents a crucial step in this direction, contributing clean energy to the national grid.
Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, emphasized the developmental impact of the Barethi Solar Power Project on the region. In addition to promoting solar power plants, the government is actively encouraging the use of solar energy in agriculture, he noted.
Situated at Barethi Renewable Energy Park in Chhatarpur District of Madhya Pradesh, the 630 MW solar project involves an investment of Rs. 3,200 crores. Once completed, it is expected to illuminate over 3 lakh households. The project, developed under Mode-8 of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy’s Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks scheme, aligns with India’s commitment to green energy.
Beyond supplying green power to the grid, the Barethi Solar Power Project will generate employment opportunities in the region and contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 12 lakh tons annually. NTPC Limited, India’s largest integrated power utility, is looking to significantly expand its non-fossil-based capacity, targeting 45%-50% renewable energy capacity out of its portfolio of 130 GW by 2032.
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