Indian state of Gujarat begins construction on solar PV park to host 500 MW of generation

[jpak]

http://www.solarserver.com/solar-magazine/solar-news/current/2011/kw01/indian-state-of-gujarat-begins-construction-on-solar-pv-park-to-host-500mw-of-generation.html

At a ceremony attended by local government and utility officials on December 30, 2010, Chief Minister Narendra Modi of the Indian state of Gujarat laid the foundation stone for a 500MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the village of Charanka, Gujarat. Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd. (Gandhi Nagar, India) will develop the 4 square kilometer solar park at a cost of INR$12.47 billion (USD$279 million).

"Talking about the huge quantity of solar radiation available in the state along the vast stretches of the Rann, (Chief Minister Modi) said that in the coming days the sunrise in India might be from the west in the westernmost state of Gujarat," declared a press statement by the Government of Gujarat.

30-year contracts offered to PV developers

The government of Gujarat will lease plots in the solar park under 30-year contracts and supply roads, electricity, water and transmission services to developers. The government has entered into an agreement to buy 590MW of electricity from solar energy projects.

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