Public sector giant Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd is planning a huge foray into non-conventional energy equipment, reports the Times of India. It is planning to set up a photovoltaic (PV) cells and solar panels plant, the first of its kind in the country. This would be part of the investment BHEL is planning at Sakoli which is part Union heavy industries minister Praful Patel’s constituency Bhandara.
Patel said that the process for land acquisition through MIDC for BHEL plant had already begun. It will acquire 500 acres of land. In the first phase, BHEL will set up a fabrication unit at an estimated investment of Rs 10 billion. Right now the work is done at Trichy unit of BHEL and to increase the capacities, part of the fabrication work will be shifted to Sakoli plant.
The solar cells plant will come up in the second phase. It will involve an investment of Rs 30 billion, said Patel adding that BHEL would be diversifying into future energy source like solar for the first time. It will also be the first such plant in the country. Patel said the land acquisition would be on the lines of Mouda-NTPC model. The identified land was located on the national highway and is mostly unirrigated with farmers willing to part with it for proper compensation, he said.
