Western Command to get solar power from national grid for 27 years, signs MoU

The Army’s Western Command has signed a long term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with NTPC (Renewable Energy) to draw 25MW solar power directly from the National Solar Grid of the country for the next 27 years.

The MoU was inked on Thursday at the Command Headquarters in Chandimandir, between NTPC officials and officers of Western Command. Discussions and approvals regarding the same had been in the process for over five months, a statement issued by the command headquarters said.

“Apart from accruing a substantial saving to the exchequer, this move will decarbonize upto 38 per cent of the energy portfolio of the Western Command. This initiative aligns the command to the National Solar Mission of the Government of India and weans it away from the archaic coal-based thermal energy being provisioned so far, that too at a higher tariff rate,” the statement added.

The solar energy being provided to the command will be sourced from Sholapur in Maharashtra.