The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is looking for an opportunity to set up a green hydrogen production facility in Andhra Pradesh, for which Industries and Commerce Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy held preliminary discussions with NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh during his recent visit to New Delhi.
The PSU has already undertaken a pilot project of splitting seawater into green hydrogen using solar energy in Tamil Nadu. The demand for green hydrogen is growing as it helps in decarbonising transport and can be used as a clean fuel in industrial processes.
NTPC is also contemplating to set up a 1,000 MW solar power plant. According to official sources, the NTPC CMD suggested that the 1,200 acres at Pudimadaka in Visakhapatnam district, which is under its possession for the establishment of a 2,000-MW super thermal power plant which failed to take off, can be bartered with additional land so that the 1,000 MW solar plant can be set up elsewhere.
Besides, the NTPC has agreed in principle to establish a Centre of Excellence in its domain (power sector) at Anakapalle in Visakhapatnam district as an extension to its Noida Power Management Institute. Meanwhle, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is examining the feasibility of setting up a solar panel manufacturing unit near Nellore where high quality quartz is available. Modalities are being worked out by the Industries Department, which roped in BHEL to adopt two ITIs as a step towards skill enhancement.
The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) agreed in principle to offer apprenticeship programmes to students at its HRD centres and train youth from the State in SAIL Management Training Institute at Ranchi.
Apart from these, India Tourism Development Corporation and Container Corporation of India have consented to establish Centres of Excellence in their respective domains.
