Telangana Deputy CM launches SCCL’s 10.5 MW solar power plant in Kothagudem

The coal mining giant, SCCL, has successfully forayed into solar power generation as part of its ambitious diversification plans, Mr.Vikramarka said.

The State-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) will focus on setting up more floating solar power plants and new pumped-storage power projects to optimally harness green energy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has said.

Speaking after inaugurating the SCCL’s 10.5 MW solar power plant in the coal town of Kothagudem on Sunday, Mr Vikramarka, who is the Minister for Finance and Energy, said the State’s new renewable energy policy will be unveiled soon.

The State suffered immensely due to lack of the renewable energy policy in the last 10 years, he said, adding that the coal mining giant, SCCL, had successfully forayed into solar power generation as part of its ambitious diversification plans.

Plans are afoot to augment the solar power generation by setting up additional solar power plants on opencast overburden dumps and floating solar power plants in the reservoirs in the coal belt area. The SCCL’s proposal to set up pumped-storage power projects will give further fillip to the green energy drive and earn additional revenue for the company, he said.

He added that the State government was actively exploring plans to install solar panels on the main canal bunds of the major and medium irrigation projects and also set up pumped storage hydro-electric power projects in the SRSP, Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam reservoirs.

Hitting out at the previous BRS government for allegedly ruining the power sector, he said the Congress government is relentlessly striving to make Telangana a power-surplus State.

Lauding the role of SCCL workforce in propelling economy, he said the Congress government took up review of minimum wages as part of efforts to protect the interests of contract/outsourcing workers.