Andhra Pradesh has launched a plan to fully solarise its agriculture sector within a year, becoming the first state in India to do so.

Chief Secretary K Vijayanand announced that all 2.93 lakh agriculture pump sets and 1,156 feeders will be transitioned to solar power under the PM-KUSUM scheme, with a combined capacity of 1,162.8 MW. To fast-track implementation, the state will solarise feeders before pump sets, ensuring reliable daytime supply and reduced subsidy burden.

Officials confirmed that 5,842 acres of land have been identified, with 1,700 acres pending transfer to NREDCAP. The Chief Secretary directed discoms to expedite power purchase agreements, land leases, and central financial assistance facilitation. Developers must complete projects within 12 months, with monthly reviews to resolve bottlenecks.

Progress updates show APEPDCL has issued letters of intent for 220.3 MW (49,533 pump sets), APCPDCL tendered 191.5 MW (76,602 pump sets), APSPDCL finalized 610 MW (1,35,346 pump sets), and Kuppam RESCO awarded 141 MW (32,106 pump sets). The move is set to boost renewable adoption and ease fiscal pressure on the power sector.