Guwahati, Sept 30: Assam will add more than 8,000 MW of power in the next few years, and stress is being placed on non-conventional sources of energy. Official sources told The Assam Tribune that of the 8,000 MW of power, 3,200 MW would be from conventional sources of energy and the rest would be from non-conventional sources.

A 3,200 MW Supercritical Thermal Power Plant at Chapar in Dhubri district is under development, which will be commissioned in a phased manner from December, 2030. Statutory clearance for several power projects to generate 4,900 MW of power in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts has been received, and the locations have been identified.

Several other power projects are at various stages of commissioning. These include a 70 MW AC grid-connected ground-mounted solar PV Project.

It has been developed in a village, Khudigaon Pt-II, Bilasipara, in Dhubri district in BOO mode. The plant has been commissioned.

This year, a 50 MW Ac Solar Power from Grid Connected Ground Mounted Solar PV Project is being developed in no. 3 Sitalmari Village under Borsola Revenue Circle, Dhekiajuli, More over, a joint venture company of APDCL and NLC India Renewables Ltd has been formed for development of 1,000 MW Solar Power Projects for which land identification is in progress.

Another JVC of APDCL and SJVN Green Energy Ltd. has been formed for development of 1,000 MW Renewable Power Projects, for which land identification is in progress.

Sources revealed that a total of 1,300 MW aggregate solar capacity has been installed in Assam till date, generating around 1,872 million units per year. The 1,872 million units per year solar power generation figure is a calculated figure, as presently the actual generation from each rooftop solar power plant is not being recorded.

Only the solar energy exported to the grid from these plants is being recorded by APDCL. 0 MW capacity of rooftop solar power plants have been installed in the residential sector under the PM Surya Ghar.

Replying to a question on the possibility of wind power development in Assam, sources said that the wind power potential of the State is very low compared to states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan. Earlier, the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) had installed wind monitoring masts at a hub height of around 80m at various locations in Assam.