New Delhi: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged significant delays in Coal India Ltd’s solar power programme, stating that the state-run miner and its arms had installed only 122.492 MW of solar capacity by December 2024, just 4.08 percent of the targeted 3,000 MW.
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The CAG has also asked Coal India to execute the solar projects on a fast-track basis to enable the company to become a Net Zero energy company.
“Though, government entrusted (2017) CIL (Coal India) with the task to generate 3,000 MW of solar power by 2024, to become Net Zero Energy Company, the installed capacity as on 31 December 2024 for solar projects was only 4.08 percent of the envisaged capacity,” CAG said in its recent report.
The Centre had, in 2017, entrusted Coal India with the task of developing 3,000 MW of solar power capacity by 2024 as part of its clean energy transition.
The audit report noted that work orders had been issued only for 692.50 MW of ground-mounted solar projects and 34.56 MW of rooftop solar projects up to December 2024, with commissioning now expected by 2027–28.
“The extension of timeline has been provided for completion of the targets by 2027-28,” the report said.
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As part of its solar expansion strategy, Coal India had set up joint ventures with NTPC Ltd and NLC India Limited for the development of solar projects of 1,000 MW each, in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding with Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd.
Coal India also formed a separate special purpose vehicle, CIL Navikarniya Urja Ltd, to execute solar projects on a fast-track basis, the report noted.