July 30, 2012. The state government has accorded permission to Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGenco) to set up solar power projects up to a total capacity of 100 MW at various thermal and hydel project sites. In view of the growing day-to-day needs of the electricity consumers, it is high time for the government and power utilities to take up the renewable energy projects on war-footing basis and to utilise every opportunity to achieve additional capacity, either small or big, to give relief to the consumers. Directing APGenco to prepare a comprehensive project report for setting up solar projects in a big way and submit the same to the Union ministry of new and renewable energy for assistance under the green energy fund. APGenco, which already has clear lands in YSR district and Hyderabad sufficient for the establishment of 30-MW solar power plants, is in the process of acquiring land to the extent of 350 acre in Anantapur, Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts for setting up another 70-MW solar plants. The estimated cost of generation per MW of solar power will be between ' 7 crore and ' 8 crore, while the per unit cost is expected to be around ' 8, which is likely to be reduced with increased generation. The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (Aperc) had recently issued regulations, mandating complying the renewable purchase power obligation by procuring renewable energy certificates. The commission has fixed the solar power purchase obligation to the discoms, open access consumers and captive power consumers whose installed capacity is more than 1 MW at 0.25 per cent. The discoms in Andhra Pradesh need about 150 MW for meeting the solar purchase obligation mandated by Aperc for the year 2013-14.