Bihar gets its largest-ever renewable energy investment
An official said the MoUs represent the first tranche of investments towards the state government’s stated objective of attracting Rs 50 lakh crore over the next five years for economic development and employment generation.
The Bihar State Power Generation Company Limited (BSPGCL) on Tuesday signed MoUs with two private developers to set up pumped storage power projects in Nawada district, involving a proposed investment of Rs 13,000 crore. This is the largest-ever renewable energy investment in the state.
The projects have been awarded to Greenko Energies Private Limited and Sun Petrochemicals Private Limited under the state’s Pump Storage Project Promotion Policy, 2025. Together, the two projects will add a combined capacity of 2,120 MW – 1,200 MW at Ekamba and 920 MW at Gosaitari.
An official said the MoUs represent the first tranche of investments towards the state government’s stated objective of attracting Rs 50 lakh crore over the next five years for economic development and employment generation. “These MoUs are the first of that targeted investment,” the official said.
Explaining the policy framework, the official said, “With the objective of strengthening energy security in the state and promoting renewable energy, the Bihar government has implemented the Pump Storage Promotion Policy-2025.” He said the two agencies were selected by BSPGCL following the notification of the policy.
According to the Energy Department, both projects will use off-stream and closed-loop pumped storage systems, in which water will be stored during the monsoon season and used to generate renewable power. “This technology does not have any adverse effect on the natural flow of rivers and will play an important role in grid stability,” the official said.
He said the entire investment will be made by the developers. “Greenko Energies will invest Rs 7,800 crore in Ekamba, while Sun Petrochemicals will invest Rs 5,200 crore in Gosaitari,” he said, adding that BSPGCL, under the Energy Department, would provide all necessary support. “Both projects are scheduled to be completed within six years.”
Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav described the initiative as the state’s largest renewable energy project to date. Thanking “the visionary thinking of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,” he said, “The Energy Department is committed to providing uninterrupted and clean electricity to the people and industries of Bihar. There has been no problem in electricity supply in the state for the past five years.”
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He said the projects would contribute in meeting Bihar’s energy requirements as well as India’s Net Zero emission target for 2070.
Appealing to investors, Yadav said, “Investors should survey Bihar and present their utility and industrial sector before the government. In the state’s developing environment, the Bihar government is committed to energy conservation and employment generation.”
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary were present at the event.
Himanshu Harsh is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, currently leading on-the-ground coverage in Bihar. With a reporting career rooted in the complexities of the National Capital Region (NCR), Himanshu specializes in the critical intersection of law, crime, and civic governance.
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An alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Himanshu brings a rigorous academic foundation to his investigative work. His expertise is characterized by a "ground-up" reporting style, most notably demonstrated during his extensive coverage of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where he analyzed shifting political landscapes and grassroots sentiment.
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