World's first solar power complex in West Bengal

KOLKATA: Construction work for the world's first integrated solar power complex in Haldia in West Bengal is expected to begin very soon, Industry Minister Nirupam Sen said on Thursday.

Sen told mediapersons here that 200 acre of land had been allotted for the Rs 5,500-crore project by the state government and work would begin very soon after the monsoon.

"The project will initially produce poly-silicons and other raw materials used to produce solar cells which would be capable of producing 250 MW of solar plant", Jyoti Poddar managing director of Bhaskar Silicon Ltd said.

"At a later stage it will also produce semi-conductors for the IT industry. Commercial production is to begin from 2009/10."

Other partners in the project will be the German Photovoltic company Centrotherm, Srei Infrastructure Finance, West Bengal Green Power Corporation and a US-based company.

Poddar said the solar complex will require 800 acre of which 200 acres was already in possession.