Andhra Pradesh emerging as clean energy hub: Nara Lokesh

Amaravati, May 14 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh is emerging as India's most investor-friendly clean energy hub, said state Minister Nara Lokesh ahead of the launch of the country's largest single-site renewable energy complex in Anantapur.

The complex is coming up with a total investment of Rs 22,000 crore to generate 1,800 Megawatt solar, 1 Gigawatt wind and 2000 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

This is the first major project under the Integrated Clean Energy (ICE) Policy, introduced by the Andhra Pradesh government in October 2024, offering structured incentives and fast-track approvals for clean energy investments.

Lokesh, who is the Minister for Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Real Time Governance, and Human Resources Development, claimed that this will be a landmark moment for India's renewable energy sector.

With this project, ReNew is set to re-enter Andhra Pradesh. It was the largest renewable energy investor in the state prior to 2019, with 777 MW installed capacity. However, the company suspended further development due to PPA cancellations by the previous government.

ReNew decided to re-enter Andhra Pradesh after Minister Lokesh held talks with Sumant Sinha, Chairman & CEO of ReNew, during the World Economic Forum at Davos.

Under the first phase of the project coming up at Bethapalle village in Guntakal constituency, 587 MW solar, 250 MW wind, and 415 MWh BESS will be generated with an investment of Rs 7,000 crore.

"This project is a testament to Andhra Pradesh's resurgence as a national leader in clean energy. We are building not just capacity, but credibility and global investor confidence," he said.

The project aligns with Andhra Pradesh's ambitious target of 72 GW renewable energy capacity by 2029, as announced during RE Invest 2024.

He mentioned that during the last eight months, the state witnessed a wave of clean energy investments from major players. These include Tata Power (7,000 MW, Rs 49,000 crore), NTPC (Green Hydrogen, Rs 1.86 lakh crore), Vedanta's Serentica (10,000 MW, Rs 50,000 crore, Brookfield (8,000 MW, Rs 50,000 crore and SAEL Industries (1,200 MW, Rs 6,000 crore.

The Anantapur renewable complex will not only add vital capacity to the grid but also showcase Andhra Pradesh's commitment to sustainable development, economic growth, and innovation-driven governance, added Lokesh.

--IANS

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