Andhra Pradesh: India's First State to Fully Solarize Agriculture

In a landmark move, Andhra Pradesh has unveiled an ambitious plan to fully solarise its agriculture sector within a year, positioning itself as the first state in India to achieve this milestone.

Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, all 2.93 lakh agricultural pump sets and 1,156 feeders across the state will be transitioned to solar power, with a combined capacity of 1,162.8 MW. Chief Secretary K Vijayanand stated that the state will prioritise solarisation of feeders first, ensuring uninterrupted daytime power and significantly reducing the power subsidy burden.

To support implementation:

5,842 acres have been identified for solar infrastructure, with 1,700 acres in the process of being transferred to NREDCAP.

Discoms have been directed to fast-track power purchase agreements, land leases, and secure central financial assistance.

Developers must commission their projects within 12 months, with monthly reviews to resolve issues and ensure timely execution.

Status of progress by DISCOMs:

APEPDCL: Letters of intent for 220.3 MW (49,533 pump sets), APCPDCL: Tendered 191.5 MW (76,602 pump sets)

APSPDCL: Finalised 610 MW (1,35,346 pump sets), Kuppam RESCO: Awarded 141 MW (32,106 pump sets)

This initiative is expected to accelerate renewable energy adoption, improve power reliability for farmers, and ease fiscal stress on the state’s electricity sector.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.