Punjab to solarise 100,000 agricultural tube-wells

15 Sep 2022 CW Team

To ensure greater use of clean energy in agriculture, the Punjab government has decided to solarise 100,000 existing electric tube-wells, the state’s Minister for New and Renewable Energy Sources Aman Arora said this week.

He said the project would save around Rs 2 billion per annum in power subsidy, besides helping to conserve natural resources. "The energy sector is transitioning in an unprecedented way, and this revolutionary step will pave the way to ensure cheaper and green energy," the minister said. With the implementation of this project, Punjab will get four major benefits - reducing the burden of subsidy on the exchequer, reducing the demand for power supply, cutting the input cost in agriculture, and saving the environment by replacing conventional power with the solar energy.

He said Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has already invited e-bids for selection of solar power generators for feeder-level solarisation of 25,000 grid connected agricultural pumps.

The government provides free power to 13.88 lakh farmers of the state for their grid-connected tube-wells for irrigation, and bears the expenditure of approximately Rs 70 billion as subsidy being paid to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL). The minister said the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has accepted the proposal and the allocated the target of 100,000 pumps.

Arora said presently the agriculture power tariff is Rs 5.66 per unit and after solarisation of these tube-wells the rate per unit would be much lower, resulting in saving the government Rs 2 billion annually.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Sep 2025

Rs 2.82 Billion Approved for NH-48 Flyovers, Footbridges

Gurugram’s section of National Highway 48 is set for a significant infrastructure upgrade, with the Central Government approving Rs 2.82 billion for the construction of four flyovers and nine foot overbridges along the Gurgaon–Kotputli–Jaipur corridor. This initiative aims to ease congestion, improve commuter safety, and boost regional connectivity, according to officials.The planned flyovers will be built at Panchgaon Chowk, Rathiwas, near the Hero Company, and Sahlawas. The nine foot overbridges will be constructed at Shikhopur, Manesar, Binola, Rathiwas, Malpura, Jaisinghpurkhera, Sid..

VSL Wins Rs 810-Cr O&M Deal for 810 MWp NGEL Solar Assets

VSL Renewable Services has secured a Rs 810 crore operation and maintenance (O&M) contract for 810 MWp of NTPC Green Energy’s (NGEL) solar power projects spread across Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The contract duration is 36 months.The tender, issued in January 2025, was divided into two lots: Lot 1 for 1,054 MWp and Lot 2 for 810 MWp. VSL emerged as the lowest bidder in both categories, but was awarded only Lot 2 in accordance with NTPC’s tender guidelines.Advanced Monitoring and Tailored StrategiesThe O&M scope will employ artificial intelligence and Internet of..

AP Issues Bid for Rs 34.9 Billion Battery Storage Project

The Transmission Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (APTRANSCO) has invited bids for the development of 1,000 MW/2,000 MWh battery energy storage systems (BESS) across seven substations in the state. The project, with an estimated viability gap funding of up to Rs 34.9 billion, will be executed under a build, own, and operate (BOO) model through tariff-based competitive bidding.Bid Timeline and StructureBids must be submitted by 29 September 2025 and will be opened on 6 October. The VGF support per project is capped at Rs 1.8 million per MWh and will be released in three instalments—20 per cent u..