The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved a 250 MW solar power project integrated with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on approximately 850 acres of vacant land in the former Sitapur Cantonment, Uttar Pradesh. This initiative marks the first large-scale renewable energy project on MoD-owned land, executed by NTPC Renewable Energy Limited.
Project Specifications and Objectives
- Capacity: 250 MW solar photovoltaic plant with advanced BESS to mitigate intermittency and ensure a reliable power supply during peak demand.
- Strategic Goal: Enhance energy security for military installations, reduce dependence on commercial power grids, and generate long-term fiscal savings for the defence budget.
- Execution: NTPC Renewable Energy Limited will develop the project through competitive bidding, ensuring optimal energy pricing for the next 25 years.
- Inter-Agency Coordination: The project involves collaboration between the MoD, Integrated Headquarters of the Army, and the Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE) for land management and operational alignment.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE): The advisory body to the MoD on land and cantonment administration; manages roughly 18 lakh acres of defence land across India.
- Cantonments Act, 2006: Governs notified areas where military personnel are stationed, overseen by democratic Cantonment Boards under the MoD.
- NTPC Limited: Established in 1975, it is a Maharatna CPSE under the Ministry of Power and India’s largest power utility.
- National Solar Mission (NSM): Launched in 2010 under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) to promote ecologically sustainable energy growth.
- BESS Policy: The Ministry of Power utilizes BESS to integrate renewable energy into the national grid for ancillary services like frequency regulation and peak shifting.