Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the installation of rooftop solar systems on buildings of health institutions across Himachal Pradesh, underlining the State Government’s resolve to promote green energy and reduce operational costs. He said the installations would be carried out in a phased manner, contributing significantly to environmental sustainability while ensuring long-term financial savings for the health sector.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the State Government has set an ambitious target to develop Himachal Pradesh as a green energy state. With the state’s annual energy consumption estimated at around 13,000 million units, the government aims to meet more than 90 percent of this demand through renewable energy sources to achieve self-reliance in the energy sector.
To this end, the government has fixed a target of installing solar energy projects with a total capacity of 500 megawatts over 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 are already generating electricity. Special emphasis is also being laid on alternative energy sources such as green hydrogen, compressed biogas and other renewable technologies.
The Chief Minister said that Gram Panchayats have been given a key role in achieving the goal of making Himachal Pradesh a green energy state. Under the Green Panchayat Programme, 500-kilowatt ground-mounted solar power projects will be set up in all panchayats. In the first phase, approval has been granted for 24 Gram Panchayats, with work already underway in 16 of them. The programme aims to generate 150 megawatts of solar power, with 20 percent of the revenue generated earmarked for providing financial assistance to orphaned children and widows in the respective panchayats.
Providing details of operational projects, the Chief Minister said that the Pekhubela Solar Power Project in Una district, which began commercial operations on April 15, 2024, has generated 79.03 million units of electricity and earned Rs. 22.91 crore in revenue so far. The Bhanjal Solar Power Project, operational since November 30, 2024, has produced 8.57 million units, generating Rs. 3.10 crore. The Aghlaur Solar Power Project, which started electricity generation on May 21, 2025, has so far produced 5.89 million units.
Currently, three solar power projects with a total capacity of 31 megawatts are under execution, while four projects with a combined capacity of 41 megawatts are at the tender stage. In addition, a major 200-megawatt solar power plant is proposed to be set up on barren land in the Damtal area of Kangra district.
The Chief Minister informed that solar power projects ranging from 250 kilowatts to 5 megawatts are being allotted on a first-come, first-served basis, with electricity purchased by the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited. So far, 547 investors have been allotted ground-mounted solar projects with a total capacity of 595.97 megawatts, and power purchase agreements have been signed for 403.09 megawatts. Additionally, HIMURJA has allotted solar power projects with a total capacity of 728.4 megawatts to HPSEBL, out of which 120 projects with a capacity of 150.13 megawatts are already operational.
