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Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday inaugurated a 70 MW solar power project at Khudigaon in Bilasipara in Dhubri district, marking a major milestone in the state's clean energy push.
Built at a cost of over Rs 350 crore, the project is expected to generate 141 million units of electricity annually and reduce nearly 1.15 lakh tonnes of carbon emissions. The implementing agency will operate and maintain the project for 25 years. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr Sarma said that, as a result of several initiatives undertaken by the state government, Assam's solar power generation capacity has increased to 680 MW. He said that with more renewable energy projects in the pipeline, the state is steadily moving towards its target of generating 2,000 MW of renewable power and achieving greater energy self-reliance. The Chief Minister said that a power purchase agreement has already been signed between Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) and SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL) for the purchase of electricity generated from the project at a tariff of Rs 3.92 per unit. The project has been constructed by SJVN Green Energy Limited, a subsidiary of SJVN, a Navratna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, on 1,000 bighas of land allotted to APDCL. Dr Sarma said that the project has been completed in record time and will significantly contribute towards making Assam self-reliant in the green power sector. He also said that earlier, there was virtually no solar power generation in the state, while with the commissioning of this 70 MW project, Assam's total solar power capacity has now reached 680 MW. The Chief Minister further informed that another 50 MW solar power project is under construction at Borsola in Sonitpur district and is planned to be inaugurated by April. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Power Minister Prasanta Phukan, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr K K Dwivedi, Managing Director of APDCL Rakesh Kumar, Mission Director of Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission Kuntal Moni Sarma Bordoloi, District Commissioner Dhubri Nabadeep Pathak, District Commissioner Kokrajhar Pankaj Chakravarty, senior officials of SJVN Limited and other distinguished guests. (ANI)
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