Amplus to set up 400 MW solar capacity in Uttar Pradesh

Gurgaon-based Amplus Energy Solutions will set up 400 MW of solar capacity across Uttar Pradesh with an investment of R20 billion by 2021 under the state government’s Solar Power Policy 2017.

Amplus will begin with a 50 MW ground-mounted PV project in Mirzapur costing around R2.5 billion, and which is expected to create 130 jobs.

Explaining the choice of Uttar Pradesh – which made headlines this week for the cancellation of a state-wide 1 GW solar tender after it deemed the resulting R3.48/kWh tariff too high – Amplus CEO Sanjeev Aggarwal cited the state’s Solar Policy 2017 as investor-friendly and providing consumers an option to procure green power on reasonable terms.

Uttar Pradesh had recently amended the Captive and Renewable Energy Regulations 2014, to provide 50% exemptions from transmission and wheeling charges for the state wide open access sale of solar power.

“The UP state agencies have been reluctant to provide open access approvals in the past,” analysts Bridge to India reported in March. “There is virtually no open access solar capacity in the state. But this amendment, in line with the state solar policy, indicates the state government’s intent to finally open doors to the open access market.

“Open access in other states, such as Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, has attracted large independent power producers such as ReNew, Avaada, Shapoorji Pallonji, Aditya Birla, Hero and AMP. As these states shut down following [the] withdrawal of incentives, UP could be the next hope for [the] open access market.”