NTPC begins construction at 630MW Barethi solar project in India

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Dr Virendra Kumar (right) speaks at an event marking the start of construction at the Barethi solar plant.
minister of social justice and empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar (right) speaks at an event marking the start of construction at the Barethi solar plant. Image: NTPC Limited

NTPC Limited, an Indian power company owned by the government’s ministry of power, has started construction at its 630MW Barethi solar project in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Construction started on Sunday 10 March, when minister of power and new and renewable energy Shri R K Singh, and minister of social justice and empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar, laid the foundation stone for the new project. The project is being developed under UMREPP Mode-8, an initiative to improve state government support for “ultra mega renewable energy power parks”, as India looks to expand its renewable power sector.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“Ours is the fastest growing large economy in the world and our power demand too is growing fast,” said Singh. “We need to add more power capacity to meet the growing demand. The Barethi solar power project is very important since it is 630MW and further it is clean energy.”

The news is the latest investment into the Indian solar sector, following Adani Green Energy’s commissioning of a 551MW project in Gujarat last month. India’s Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has also released new draft regulations for the tendering process for power projects, which raise the prospect that tariffs for solar projects in particular will continue to rise, as solar development in the country continues to be a lucrative investment destination.

NTPC noted that it would invest around US$386.7 million (INR32 billion) into the project, and that the facility would help meet its targets of installing 60GW of renewable power capacity by 2032. The company aims for non-fossil fuel power sources to account for between 45-50% of its power portfolio within the next eight years, as it looks to decarbonise its operations.

At last year’s India Energy Transition Summit, Singh announced plans to expand India’s renewable electricity generation capacity to 500GW by 2030, up from 180GW at the end of 2023.

Read Next

June 9, 2025
Saatvik Solar, a unit of Saatvik Green Energy Limited (SGEL), is building a 4.8GW solar cell and 4GW module manufacturing facility in Ganjam district of Odisha.
June 5, 2025
Solar manufacturer Involt Energy has broken ground on its first solar cell manufacturing plant in the western Indian state of Gujarat, with an initial annual nameplate capacity of 1.78GW. 
June 5, 2025
Indian solar module manufacturer Vikram Solar has received final approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to proceed with its initial public offering (IPO) and raise capital through the public markets.
June 5, 2025
Investment in clean energy and grids will reach US$2.2 trillion in 2025, double the expected investment into fossil fuels this year, according to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA).
June 5, 2025
US renewable power developer Invenergy has commissioned the 250MW Hardin III Solar Energy Center in the US state of Ohio.
June 2, 2025
Arctech has partnered with ACME Cleantech Solutions to provide 175MW worth of solar trackers for an upcoming facility in Duqm, Oman.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece