Solar energy sector in Odisha faces a huge setback with the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) not being given green signal by the Centre.
Odisha has planned to generate 2,200 MW solar power by 2022 and with GEC not being approved, evacuation of solar power will face a hurdle.
The OPTCL designated State Transmission Utility was supposed to evacuate 280 Mega Watt (MW) of solar power from solar park.
Under Ultra Mega Solar Power Park, a 1,000-MW Solar Park was allotted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to be developed by Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha (GEEDCOL). Accordingly, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared with an estimate of Rs 313.80 crore for establishment of solar evacuation pooling station at Nildungri for evacuation of 225 MW and another 55 MW at Manmunda .
The DPR was sent to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for approval and after examining the DPR, the CEA approved the proposal.
So the OPTCL went ahead with tendering process and when it was at final stage, the OPTCL requested for 40 per cent (PC) of the grant from the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF).
The NCEF is a fund created in 2010-11 using the carbon tax - clean energy cess - for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technologies of public sector or private sector entities, up to the extent of 40 per cent of the total project cost.
However, the MNRE instead of approving the proposal has informed that the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) II Scheme has not yet been approved by the Government of India. So no sanction can be issued and contract cannot be awarded by the State under GEC II.
Unless 40 per cent of funding is released, the pooling station at Nildungri in Jujumura and Manmunda will not come up resulting in a setback for the solar power generation plan, officials admit.