Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday inaugurated three Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited (NLCIL) 100 MW Solar Power Projects each in Tamil Nadu.
The projects which were erected at Thoppalaakkarai, Sethupuram in Virudhunagar district and Sellaiya Sezhiyanallur in Tirunelveli district, with an installed capacity of 100 MW each, were dedicated to the nation by Goyal.
These projects were erected at a cost of Rs.1302 crores, which includes operation and maintenance cost for at least 15 years.
The powers produced from these units will be given to Tamil Nadu Power Generation and Distribution Company (TANGEDCO) at a cost of Rs.4.41 per unit.
Goyal in his inaugural address lauded NLCIL management, its employees and trade unions for their unstinting efforts for the growth of organisation with a new vision.
He appealed all employees to keep more strength and strive for the growth of the company with new vision to realize the New India, which empowers the people of the nation to take care the future generations.
The Union Minister while lauding the CSR initiatives of the organization appealed management to come up with new innovative initiatives like providing Free wi-fi to the rural masses, low cost sanitary napkins for women and emotionally empowering deprived senior citizens to ensure technologically, hygienically and culturally motivated society.
After this, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by NLCIL and Anna University was signed in the presence of Goyal, Chairman and Managing Director and other functional directors of the NLCIL.
The signing of MoU was made to erect a pilot project on solar drying of lignite, in order to increase its Caloric Value from 2700 Kcal to 4350 Kcal. The cost of the pilot project is Rs.2 Crore 69 Lakhs.