Singareni CMD warns solar firms, sets October deadline for pending projects

Hyderabad: N Balaram, chairman and managing director (CMD) of The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), issued a stern warning to agencies over delays in constructing solar power plants.

He stated that contracts will be cancelled and companies blacklisted if there are further delays in completing the projects within the stipulated timeframe, as per the State government’s directives.

During a special review meeting held at Singareni Bhavan in Hyderabad on Thursday, CMD Balaram addressed the ongoing delays with officials and contractors. He reviewed the progress of the remaining 54.5 MW in the first phase and the 67.5 MW capacity solar plants in the second phase.

‘Complete pending projects by October’

He expressed severe displeasure over the significant delays by the construction agencies, especially since Singareni has not delayed any bill payments.

CMD Balaram urged the agencies to expedite the work and complete the assigned projects by October. He emphatically stated that no further extensions would be granted. He emphasised that this is the final opportunity for the construction agencies, warning that contracts would be terminated, and companies would be blacklisted if the work isn’t completed by October.

He also instructed Singareni’s solar officials to take special initiative and work with dedication to ensure the construction is completed by October. He warned that the performance of officials who fail to ensure the timely completion of solar plant works would be recorded in their service records.

‘Complete Mandamarri BESS by August’

In addition to the solar plants, CMD Balaram directed that the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) works associated with the 28 MW solar plant in Mandamarri must be completed by August. He also specified that all 32.75 MW rooftop plant construction works on various Singareni buildings, undertaken as part of the Central Government’s Surya Ghar Yojana scheme, should be finished by the end of December.

Telangana has been actively promoting solar energy and has a significant installed solar power capacity. Here's a breakdown of details regarding solar plants in the state:

What is the overall solar energy capacity and policy of Telangana?

- Current Capacity: As of May 31, 2024, Telangana’s cumulative commissioned solar energy projects (excluding SECI, NTPC and NHPC CPSU Scheme-2019) stood at 3,839.34 MW. With the inclusion of solar rooftops, the total reaches around 4,705.659 MW.

- Solar Potential: Studies indicate that Telangana has a solar potential of over 20 GW.

What are the solar projects?

The Telangana government has issued a draft renewable energy policy (Telangana Clean and Green Energy Policy-2024/TGREEN) with ambitious goals, which include:

- Adding 20,000 MW to its existing renewable energy generation and storage capacity by 2030.

- Targeting a solar capacity of approx. 34 GW across grid-scale, floating and distributed renewables by FY 2035.

What are the initiatives of the Telangana government regarding solar projects?

- Promotion of residential solar with subsidies as per SECI guidelines.

- Incentives for industrial solar, including tax holidays and accelerated depreciation.

- Focus on innovative solutions like floating solar, waste-to-energy and green hydrogen.

- Plans to solarise government buildings, schools, state-funded housing and panchayat offices.

- Support for farmers to set up solar power plants in their farmlands under the PM KUSUM scheme.

- Single-window clearance mechanisms for solar projects.