VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a 6.5 GW solar ingot and wafer manufacturing facility to be set up by ReNew Energy Global at Rambilli in Anakapalli district.
The project, to be set up with an investment of Rs 4,200 crore, is one of the first greenfield solar ingot-wafer manufacturing facilities in the country. Expected to be commissioned within 24 months, the project is likely to generate over 2,100 direct and indirect jobs. The facility is part of ReNew’s larger investment commitment of about Rs 82,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh, announced during the CII Partnership Summit 2025, aimed at strengthening the State’s clean energy and manufacturing ecosystem.
The plant will support backward integration of its solar photovoltaic manufacturing operations by producing ingots and wafers, which are key components in the solar value chain. The move is also expected to reduce dependence on imports and contribute to domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said, “Industrial growth and sustainability must go hand in hand as we build the future of Andhra Pradesh. ReNew, founded by former Union minister Yashwant Sinha’s son Sumant Sinha, with its investment strengthens our position as a hub for clean energy and advanced manufacturing, while creating jobs and driving economic development in the State.”
“Anakapalli, near Visakhapatnam, will develop into a major growth centre. It will be to Andhra Pradesh what Rangareddy is to Hyderabad today,” he said.
Naidu noted that Rangareddy district, once considered backward in undivided Andhra Pradesh, has transformed into a developed region. Highlighting the State’s focus on industrialisation and energy, he said Andhra Pradesh is attracting investments in power generation and renewable energy sectors. He observed that power consumption reflects development levels and added that the government is committed to strengthening infrastructure while ensuring that electricity tariffs are not increased.
Referring to the State’s renewable energy plans, he pointed out that Andhra Pradesh has set a target of generating 160 GW of green energy with investments worth Rs 5.95 lakh crore, and that proposals and MoUs for 90 GW are already in place. Solar and wind energy projects are operational in Anantapur and Kurnool, while manufacturing activities are being expanded in other regions.
The Chief Minister also spoke about initiatives such as replacing all RTC buses with AC electric vehicles, setting up 5,000 charging stations, and encouraging rooftop solar installations in 40 lakh households under Central schemes.
He further noted that the government has absorbed Rs 15,795 crore in power-related costs without passing the burden on consumers, and is focusing on faster clearances through a “speed of doing business” approach to attract investments and generate employment.
ReNew Founder, Chairman and CEO Sumant Sinha said, “India’s clean energy transition requires not just scale in generation, but strength across the entire value chain. This facility is a step in that direction - building manufacturing capabilities within the country and advancing our vision of an integrated, self-reliant clean energy ecosystem. We are grateful for the continued support and visionary leadership of CM Naidu, whose focus on enabling infrastructure and ease of doing business has made Andhra Pradesh a natural partner in our growth.
He said the project would benefit from a supportive regulatory environment, including the expansion of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework to cover wafers and ingots from June 2028. ReNew currently has 6.5 GW of operational solar module manufacturing capacity, and its cell manufacturing capacity is expected to reach 6.5 GW by December 2026, with 2.5 GW already operational. In addition to this project, ReNew is developing a hybrid renewable energy project in Anantapur district with an investment of about Rs 22,000 crore. The project is expected to have a generation capacity of around 2.8 GW, including solar and wind components, along with a battery energy storage system. ReNew has been operating in Andhra Pradesh since 2015, beginning with a 24 MW wind project at Kalyandurg. At present, the company operates 717 MW of wind capacity and 60 MW of solar capacity in the State.