NTPC, CIL, NLC India and SJVN Signed MoU with Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government has signed MoUs with NTPC, CIL, NLC India and SJVN for 28.5 GW of solar power capacity and green hydrogen manufacturing facility.

About the MoU

NTPC

• NTPC has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam (RRVUNL) to explore the possibility of adding supercritical units to the existing Chhabra Thermal Power Plant (TPP). The parties will also work together to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of the plant's current units. Additionally, NTPC or its affiliates will undertake a 15- to 20-year annuity-based Renovation and Modernization (R&M) of RRVUNL's old thermal units, as outlined in the MoU. NTPC Green Energy (NGEL) has signed an MoU with RVUNL to develop Renewable Energy (RE) projects and green hydrogen derivatives in Rajasthan, with capacities of up to 25 GW and one million tonnes, respectively.

CIL

• In an additional development, Coal India (CIL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RRVUNL for the purpose of exploring and executing power projects with a total capacity of 4,100 MW. 
• These proposed projects include a 1,600 MW coal-based pit-head power plant to be located in a coal-bearing state. 
• The power generated from this plant will be utilized by Rajasthan. Other projects include a 2,000 MW solar power project in RRVUNL's solar park, a 200 MW pump storage project at Jawahar Sagar, a 250 MW solar project on the land acquired for Banswara TPP by RRVUNL, and a 50 MW wind project at the existing Ramgarh gas project in Jaisalmer.

NLCIL

• The National Lignite Corporation India Limited (NLCIL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the government of Rajasthan. 
• The MOU aims to establish a joint venture for setting up a 125 MW power plant that runs on lignite and a 1,000 MW solar power plant. The project requires an investment of over ₹7,000 crore.

SJVN Green Energy (SGEL)

• SJVN Green Energy (SGEL), a subsidiary of SJVN, has signed a long-term power usage agreement (PUA) for 500 MW solar power. The agreement states that SGEL will supply 500 MW power from the 1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project. 
• It is located at Bikaner and is expected to generate 2,454.84 million units of energy in the first year and a cumulative energy of about 56,474 million units over a period of 25 years. 
• The project will be developed on 387.56 acres of land of Sambhar Salts at Nawa leased in favor of SGEL for a period of 28 years. It will be developed on Build, Own and Operate (BOO) basis at a tentative cost of ₹550 crore.