Anantapur to have 3 ultra mega solar parks

Anantapur: Three more ultra mega solar power parks will be set up in three mandals in district in private sector with a total capacity of 9,236 mega watts. District collector Gandham Chandrudu had directed APIIC (AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation) and the industries department to identify non-agricultural lands by March 15 for setting up of the ultra mega power plants.

The three identified mandals are Mudigubba, Tadipatri and Obuladevacheruvu. A 1,000 megawatt capacity solar power park is under construction at NP Kunta in the district.

Already, on a random basis 58,328 acre has been identified while a definite shape will be given to the land acquisition efforts by the middle of the month.

The cost of 1 megawatt of solar plant is anywhere between Rs.5 crore to 7 crore. For producing 9,000 odd megawatts of solar power, it is estimated Rs 50,000 crore will have to be pumped in by the stakeholders. The investing companies are yet to be made public.

Lands which are not fit for cultivation only are being identified. Surveyors are being pressed into action to survey and identify unused lands which are not fit for agricultural operations.

In Mudigubba, 9,559 acre is being identified for setting up of a 1,911 mega watts solar power plant. In Tadipatri, 2,589 acre land is in the process of identification for setting up a 518 megawatt plant and in Nallamada mandal, 13 villages are identified for acquiring 46,180 acre where more than 5,000 mw capacity power plants will be set up. In the three special economic zones, 9236 mw of power will be produced by private players.

In Chilamattur, Lepakshi and Penukonda mandals, 2,000 acre non-agricultural land is being identified for more solar projects.