Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually laid the foundation stone for a 200 MW solar power project being developed by SJVN at Khavda Solar Park in Gujarat, under Phase XVII of the Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) initiative. The ceremony was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Labour and Employment Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Jal Shakti Minister Chandrakant Patil, and several other dignitaries.

Joining virtually were SJVN Chairman and Managing Director Bhupender Gupta, along with senior management and officials from SJVN and its subsidiary SGEL. Located in the Khavda region of Kachchh district, the project will supply power to GUVNL under a 25-year power purchase agreement at Rs 2.88 per unit.

The total investment is estimated at Rs 8.7 billion. The project is expected to generate nearly 505 million units of electricity in its first year and around 11.6 billion units over 25 years. It will also offset close to 570,000 tonnes of carbon emissions during its lifetime. Completion is targeted for 31 December 2026.

The initiative aligns with India’s national goals of achieving 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2070. It is also expected to create direct and indirect employment in the region, while making productive use of Kachchh’s arid terrain for clean energy generation.