MIO 2022: Tata Power Annuonces Rs 6000 Cr Capex Investment In Distribution Business In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Tata Power has announced Rs 6,000 crore capex investment in distribution business in Odisha and said it will set up 1000 Electric Vehicle charging points and one lakh solar pumps in the state.

Participating in the Make in Odisha Conclave, Tata Power announced its vision to transform the state into a clean energy hub through its clean and green energy solutions and offerings.

To promote clean mobility, Tata Power plans to install 1,000 charging points across the state in the next five years. It has already set up 50 EV charging points while 97 additional charging points are under various stages of installation and commissioning. The company is presently facilitating the EV charging ecosystem through various initiatives like chargers at NH 16, an essential part of the golden quadrilateral, key tourist corridors and interstate highways connecting Odisha.

Tata Power said it is transforming the power distribution scenario in the state by committing Rs 6000 crore capex investment in distribution business in the next 5 years. To support Ease of Doing Business in the state, Tata Power Discoms have launched several initiatives for industrial consumers including MSMEs.

Tata Power is working towards the solarisation of the agriculture sector in association with the state government. It has already installed over 700 solar pumps in addition to 1200 dual pump for community drinking application across the state. It has planned to install 1,00,000 solar pumps over the next five years.

Speaking at the Make in Odisha Conclave, CEO and MD of Tata Power Praveer Sinha, said, “Tata Power is committed to ensuring Udyog Ru Pragati by offering high-quality and affordable power supply to enable a conducive environment for industrial development. Our clean and green energy products and solutions in e-mobility, decentralised generation, agriculture, and demand side management will ensure an all-round sustainable development of the state.”

Considering Odisha’s huge potential to harness the renewable energy Tata power would like to participate in the renewable and clean energy growth in the state.

In the Rooftop Solar space, the company has over 25 MW of installations across the state which is equivalent to 7.07 lakh tonnes of CO2 emission reduction and planting 11.31 lakh trees. The Company’s Rooftop Solar offering has been availed by various industries which include Cashew Processing units, Oil Mills, Handloom, Steel and Manufacturing Industries et al. With better coverage of households, commercial and industrial establishments in the state to adopt rooftop and ground mounted solar systems, there is opportunity for installation of about 1000 MW of rooftop solar in the State.

Odisha’s nine districts in the south-west region can become forerunners in harnessing solar power. Taking only 25% of the available wasteland in these districts into account, about 44 GW solar power plants can be installed.

Additionally, the Floating Solar capacity is estimated to be around 5000 MW across the various water reservoirs of Odisha and Tata Power would like to utilize its expertise in setting up such plants.

Sinha welcomed Odisha Government’s Renewable Energy Policy 2022, which was unveiled at the Make in Odisha conclave today.

Tata Power would also like to utilise its expertise in running Pumped Storage Power Stations (PSPS) to help meet the peak power demand of the state and will work closely with OHPC for the development of Pumped storage hydro projects.

The company is working on the electrification of remote villages, with the support of Energy Department and OERC, by setting up Microgrids. A technical feasibility study has been carried out in several villages in the Mayurbhanj District to set up Microgrids for the transformation of the rural/ tribal economy.

In order to ensure sustainable energy consumption, Tata Power Discoms are also offering Smart IoT based solutions for its residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Discoms are also providing an option for 100% renewable energy adoption to the industrial segment. To provide customised energy solutions to industrial consumers, Discoms have also appointed client-relationship managers in key industrial belts.

Tata Power is creating job opportunities for local youth in the operations, maintenance, and metering work of the Discoms. Since the takeover of the erstwhile Discoms in the state, around 2000 job opportunities have been provided over and above existing 11,000 employees working with the 4 Odisha Discoms. Through new investments and clean and green energy solutions and product offerings, this number may touch 5,000 in the next 5 years, the company added.