The government, on 25 February, gave its approval to the NTPC proposal of setting up 15,000 MW grid-connected solar power projects under the National Solar Mission.
NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, an arm of NTPC, will implement the projects over three phases.
The company will commission 3,000 MW in the first phase. It will be ramped up to 5,000 MW in the second phase and 7,000 MW in the third phase. The estimated cost of the first phase is Rs 18,000 crore and it will be met by the project developers.
In the first phase, some of the solar PV plants will be based on bundling of solar power with unallocated thermal power.
The electricity generated will be allotted to various sites which provide land for setting up these projects and also those which will purchase a major portion of the solar power for consumption within the state.