Mumbai: Tata Power has decided to establish its ambitious 10 GW solar ingot and wafer manufacturing facility in Gopalpur, Odisha, on land within Tata Steel Special Economic Zone (SEZ), after weighing incentives, power costs, and logistical advantages against competing offers from states including Andhra Pradesh.
Company CEO and Managing Director Praveer Sinha confirmed the decision during the firm’s first-quarter earnings call and subsequent interactions on Monday. Construction is slated to begin in October 2026, with the first 5 GW phase expected to become operational by January 2028 and the second phase following roughly six months later. The total investment is reported around ₹6,600-6,675 crore.
Sinha highlighted that the company’s existing 4.3 GW solar cell and module plant is already running at full capacity, with no immediate expansion planned. The new upstream facility will enable backward integration, securing supplies of critical ingots and wafers—components where India still relies heavily on imports, particularly from China—for both domestic needs and potential exports.
According to reports, the choice of Odisha was driven by a competitive package of incentives approved earlier by the state government, including a substantial capital investment subsidy (around 30%), a 20-year full waiver on electricity duty, a ₹2-per-unit power tariff subsidy, and other benefits such as SC/ST cost reimbursements. Ready access to already-acquired land in the Gopalpur SEZ, proximity to ports, and lower power costs were decisive factors that allowed faster project mobilisation.
Sinha noted strong export potential, particularly into Europe, where policies increasingly favour non-Chinese supply chains. “That’s a very good opportunity, and we’re definitely looking at it,” he said, estimating an initial 2-3 GW export window for one country that could expand further.
With the plant’s commissioning targeted for early 2028, the development positions Odisha as an emerging hub for solar manufacturing while strengthening Tata Power’s integrated presence across the clean energy spectrum.
