Bihar Govt to Establish Solar Plants at Kajra, Pirpainty

• The state cabinet has accepted the Bihar govt's proposition to establish solar energy plants at Kajra in Lakhisarai and also Pirpainty in Bhagalpur area on the land earlier acquired for the thermal nuclear power plant.

The cabinet likewise permitted to amend the energy division's resolution of December 12, 2010 under which pieces of land had been obtained for the establishment and opening of thermal nuclear power plant.

The state cabinet on Wednesday authorized the Bihar federal government's proposition to establish solar power plants at Kajra in Lakhisarai and Pirpainty in Bhagalpur district on the land earlier acquired for the thermal nuclear power plant, state cabinet secretariat department added chief secretary Sanjay Kumar stated.

The cabinet additionally enabled to modify the power department's resolution of December 12, 2010 under which chunks of land had been acquired for the establishment and opening of thermal nuclear power plant.

The proposition for integrated development of 20 communities as well as their allied backwoods was also approved. The towns worried are Buxar, Kishanganj, Katihar, Sasaram, Dehri, Motihari, Aurangabad, Hajipur, Jamui, Siwan, Bettiah, Bagaha, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Araria, Forbesganj, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Bhabhua and Sheohar.

Current solar projects in the state include one in January this year, when SJVN Limited, the general public noted mini-ratna jointly had by the Government of India as well as Himachal Pradesh state, took out a tender for leasing adjoining land holdings of 1250 acres to be taken into consideration for a solar energy project. Normally, a land holding of that size homes close to 250 MW of solar projects.

The action complied with a similar action by the PSU in Rajasthan as well. The PSU route has actually become the favoured path for pushing solar in backwards mentions thanks to their ability to implement, as well as minimize threats for possible bidders on the settlements side. Dealing with the land purchase issue is also a major hurdle crossed, as for potential prospective buyers are worried, boosting the chances of more affordable bids. SJVN currently has a tie-up with IREDA for sustainable projects in place.

In August, SJVN won the public auction for the 200 MW of grid-connected solar project of Rs, 1,000 crores in Bihar. The business obtained the project via Open Competitive Tariff Bidding Process for quoted capacity of 200 MW Rs. 3.11/ system on Build Own and Operate (BOO) basis throughout an e-reverse public auction organised by Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA).