Prime Minister Narendra Modi today virtually laid the foundation stone for a 200 MW solar power project being developed by SJVN at the Khavda Solar Park in Gujarat, under Phase XVII of the GUVNL initiative. The ceremony was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Labour and Employment Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Jal Shakti Minister Chandrakant Raghunath Patil, Minister of State for Ports and Shipping Shantanu Thakur, MoS for Consumer Affairs Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, along with several other dignitaries.
Joining the event virtually were SJVN Chairman and Managing Director Bhupender Gupta, Director (Personnel) Ajay Kumar Sharma, Director (Finance – Additional Charge) Sipan Kumar Garg, SGEL CEO Ajay Singh, and senior officials from both SJVN and SGEL. The project is located in the Khavda region of Kachchh district and is part of a larger solar development being undertaken by Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSECL). Once operational, the power from this project will be supplied to Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) under a 25-year power purchase agreement at a rate of ₹2.88 per unit.
The total investment in the project is estimated at ₹866.8 crore. It is expected to generate approximately 504.92 million units of electricity in its first year and around 11,620 million units over a 25-year period. The solar installation is also projected to offset nearly 5.7 lakh tonnes of carbon emissions over its lifetime. The project is slated for completion by December 31, 2026. It aligns with India’s national targets of reaching 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
Beyond environmental impact, the initiative is expected to create both direct and indirect employment in the area. The project also maximizes the potential of Kachchh’s arid terrain for clean energy production, contributing to Gujarat’s growing renewable energy infrastructure.
SJVN, a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power, currently operates 14 commissioned projects totaling 2,968 MW and 123 km of transmission lines. The company is actively expanding its footprint in India and Nepal through various hydro, solar, and wind power ventures.
