State’s first solar plant sealed after land row

Daily Pioneer reports

The district administration of Sambalpur sealed the first solar power plant at Haripada village in Bamra Tehsil in Kuchinda subdivision for lacking valid land documents. The unit had been inaugurated on March 11.

“We sealed the solar power plant as the company didn’t submit valid papers for its land. We are further verifying if the land has been converted to non-agricultural status,” said Kuchinda Sub Collector Sayad Mahemmad Akdas.

Sources said Jay Iron and Steel Ltd, a company from Rourkela, set up the solar power plant of 1 MW capacity at Haripada at an expenditure of `15 crore. It is one of the eight solar power plants in the State.

“Sixty firms had applied to set up solar power plants in the State. But the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) short-listed only 20 from them. However, Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy selected only eight of them, of which the Haripada unit was one,” informed Jay Iron and Steels Limited MD Sunil Agrawal.

As per an agreement, GRIDCO was to purchase energy from the company for 25 years. At the same time, WESCO would distribute the energy,” informed Agrawal. The equipment for the solar power plants was supplied and erected by Vikram Solar (P) Ltd in technical collaboration with Pronear, a company of Spain. Engineers from Spain came to set up the power plant which took five months to complete the project. Entire power generated through solar cells had been fed into 11 KV grid of WESCO at Bamra, he added.

“If after verification of the land documents, the papers would be found authentic, then we would allow the plant to function,” said the sub-collector.

“We sealed the solar power plant as the company didn’t submit valid papers for its land. We are further verifying if the land has been converted to non-agricultural status,” said Kuchinda Sub Collector Sayad Mahemmad Akdas.

Sources said Jay Iron and Steel Ltd, a company from Rourkela, set up the solar power plant of 1 MW capacity at Haripada at an expenditure of `15 crore. It is one of the eight solar power plants in the State.

“Sixty firms had applied to set up solar power plants in the State. But the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) short-listed only 20 from them. However, Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy selected only eight of them, of which the Haripada unit was one,” informed Jay Iron and Steels Limited MD Sunil Agrawal.

As per an agreement, GRIDCO was to purchase energy from the company for 25 years. At the same time, WESCO would distribute the energy,” informed Agrawal. The equipment for the solar power plants was supplied and erected by Vikram Solar (P) Ltd in technical collaboration with Pronear, a company of Spain. Engineers from Spain came to set up the power plant which took five months to complete the project. Entire power generated through solar cells had been fed into 11 KV grid of WESCO at Bamra, he added.

“If after verification of the land documents, the papers would be found authentic, then we would allow the plant to function,” said the sub-collector.