Shimla- Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed to install rooftop solar systems on various buildings of health institutions under the Health Department. He said that installing these systems in a phased manner would promote green energy and also help save money.
He said that the State Government has set a target to develop the state as a green energy state and effective steps were being taken to achieve this goal. The Chief Minister added that State's annual energy consumption is about 13,000 million units. To make the state self-reliant in the energy sector, the government has set a target to meet more than 90 percent of this energy requirement through renewable energy sources.
The State Government has set a target to install solar energy projects with a total capacity of 500 megawatts in the state within the next two years. At present, the 32 megawatt Pekhubela Solar Power Project, the 5 megawatt Bhanjal Solar Power Project, and the 10 megawatt Aghlaur Solar Power Project were already producing electricity. The State Government was making special efforts to promote alternative energy projects such as solar energy, green hydrogen, compressed biogas and other renewable sources.
To achieve the goal of making Himachal Pradesh a Green Energy State, the government has given a key role to Gram Panchayats. The Chief Minister has launched the Green Panchayat Programme, under which 500 kilowatt ground-mounted solar power projects would be set up in all panchayats.
In the first phase of approval has been given to install 500 kilowatt solar plants in 24 Gram Panchayats and work has already started in 16 panchayats. The programme aims to generate a total of 150 megawatts of solar power. Under this scheme, 20 per cent of the revenue earned from the electricity produced would be used by the state government to provide financial assistance to orphaned children and widows in the concerned Gram Panchayats.
The Pekhubela Solar Power Project in Una district began commercial operations on 15 April, 2024. So far, it has generated 79.03 million units of electricity and earned Rs. 22.91 crore in revenue. The Bhanjal Solar Power Project in Una started commercial operations on 30 November, 2024 and has so far produced 8.57 million units of electricity, earning Rs. 3.10 crore in revenue. Electricity generation from the Aghlaur Solar Power Project in Una district began on 21 May, 2025 and it has produced 5.89 million units of electricity to date.
At present, three solar power projects with a total capacity of 31 megawatts were in the execution stage, while four projects with a combined capacity of 41 megawatts were in the tender stage. A 200-megawatt solar power plant would also be set up on barren land in the Damtal area of Kangra district.
Solar power projects ranging from 250 kilowatts to 5 megawatts were being allotted on a “first come, first served” basis. The electricity produced by these projects would be purchased by the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL). Under this scheme, 547 investors have been allotted ground-mounted solar projects with a total capacity of 595.97 megawatts and power purchase agreements have already been signed for 403.09 megawatts.
In addition, HIMURJA has allotted solar power projects with a total capacity of 728.4 megawatts to HPSEBL. Out of these, 120 ground-mounted solar projects with a combined capacity of 150.13 megawatts have already started operations.