Himachal CM Pushes for Solar Power Expansion

Shimla, Aug 7 (PTI) Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday stressed on enhancing solar power generation in the state and directed officials to expedite and commission the ongoing projects.

In a meeting of senior officers of the Power Department here, the chief minister said that a 32 MW solar power project has been established at Pekhubela in Una district and a 10 MW project and a 5 MW project are under construction in Kutlehar and Gagret assembly constituencies, respectively.

In a statement, the chief minister said that Himachal Pradesh would be in a position to harness around 50 MW solar energy in the next six months.

Directions were given to the officers to expedite the ongoing solar projects and commission these projects at the earliest besides identifying new sites to set them up.

He said that the power demand was increasing day by day and keeping this in view solar power should also be harnessed alongside hydel power.

Solar energy is a clean and renewable source, which reduces carbon emissions and minimizes the reliance on fossil fuels. These solar power projects also need minimal maintenance and have longer life span, said the chief minister.

Sukhu said that climate change was the biggest challenge and green initiatives can play a pivotal role in mitigating the effects of global warming.