Shelving its previous plan to convert it into a waste-to-energy plant, the Delhi government announced that a solar park — of 5,000 KW capacity — will come up in the spot of the defunct Rajghat thermal power plant. In October, 2016, Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain had announced that a waste-to-energy plant will replace the coal-fired power plant run by the Indraprastha Power Generation Company Limited.
Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said cabinet clearance has been accorded to the decision to open a solar park in the 45-acre land of the plant, which stopped functioning in 2015 due to concerns about air pollution. “The cabinet approved the proposal to officially close down the Rajghat coal plant. The government decided to close down production at the plant in 2015, as it was a major source of pollution,” he said.
Rajghat Thermal Power Station:
Rajghat Thermal Power Station has an installed capacity of 135 MW. The First unit was commissioned during 1989-90. Later the second unit, coal-based plant, was added. This power plant is one of two coal-fired power plants that operated by IPGCL, the other being Indraprastha power station which was closed due to ageing. After it was shut, the Delhi government by the end of 2015 had first thought of setting up a ground-based solar power plant at the RPH site, similar to the one approved.
But by January 2016, the government changed the plan, stating that there was already a plan to convert the other defunct Indraprastha power house into a ground-based solar power system.