850 acres of vacant defence land in Uttar Pradesh to host 250 MW solar power plant

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the establishment of a 250 mega watt solar power project in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur on an approximately 850 acres of vacant defence land.

The defence ministry on Tuesday described the project as a "major step" towards promoting renewable energy while ensuring optimum utilisation of vacant defence land.

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This is the first-of-its-kind project undertaken by the defence ministry involving the development of a large-scale solar power generation facility with integrated Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) support on defence land, it said.

The ministry said the initiative reflects the government's commitment towards clean energy, sustainability and reduction of dependence on conventional energy sources.

"Besides strengthening long-term energy security for the defence forces, the project is expected to substantially reduce expenditure incurred on procurement of conventional grid power for defence establishments, resulting in significant savings to the government exchequer over the life cycle of the project," it said in a statement.

NTPC Ltd is implementing the project through a competitive bid process to realise the most optimal energy pricing and savings for defence establishments, it added.

The project will be implemented in close coordination with Integrated headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army) and Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE).

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"The project represents a convergence of national security, energy security, technological innovation and environmental sustainability highlighting the commitment of the Ministry of Defence to leverage its assets in support of national development goals while safeguarding strategic interests," the statement said.