VIJAYAWADA: Following the Cabinet decision to set up Andhra Pradesh Green Energy Corporation Ltd (APGECL) to harness solar energy for sustainable power, the Energy department has issued an order for formation of the same. The corporation will work on establishment of 10,000 MW solar power projects in the State, mainly to ensure nine-hour-a-day free and sustainable power supply to agriculture sector.
According to the order (MS 5) issued by ex-officio principal secretary G Sai Prasad on Saturday, the State is incurring more than `10,000 crore annually to meet agriculture subsidy, lift irrigation scheme power charges and aquaculture subsidy. “Solar energy has the potential to fulfil the above requirements. In order to provide free power supply to the agriculture sector and lift irrigation schemes, the total capacity of solar plants required is likely to be 10,000 MW,” the order stated. APGENCO will bear the cost of running the corporation till the latter is able to generate its own revenue. APGENCO and APTRANSCO will extend all the technical assistance needed to it.