Delhi Metro is all set to run on the cheapest solar power produced in one of the Asia’s biggest solar power project in Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh. A power purchase agreement between Rewa Ultra Mega Solar and the DMRC was signed here on Monday in presence of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The project, already on its final stages of completion, will start supplying power to the DMRC from September this year. IFC, a member of World Bank group, is financially supporting the project as one of its partner.
The project in the eastern Madhya Pradesh is one of the "world's largest single-site solar project". The 750 MW solar park was in news recently for producing cheapest solar power in the country at the rate of just Rs 2.97 per unit. The project recently completed its first phase where three companies— Mahindra Renewables, ACME Solar Holdings and Solengeri Power—successfully bid three units of 250 Mw each at Rs 2.979, Rs 2.97 and Rs 2.974 tariff for the first year.
Speaking on the occasion, Union power minister Piyush Goyal said "It is a memorable day in the history of India when we are able to generate power at such a low cost."
Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu was also present at the meeting. DMRC will buy 24 per cent of the total power produced at RUMS. This will meet 90 per cent of day time requirement of Delhi Metro. This will save DMRC over Rs 1,220 crore as the present cost of power is around Rs four per unit.
Agreements among the developers, MPPMCL (Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited), DMRC, RUMSL, NRED (New and Renewable Energy Department) and PGCIL (Power Grid Corporation of India Limited) were also signed on the occasions.
Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited is developed as a joint venture of Solar Energy Corporation of India and Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam (MPUVN). Located in Rewa on a 1500 hectares stretch of land, the project is biggest in Asia, claimed former Power Minister Rajendra Shukla.
