(PIB)
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said that Diu is a national example in renewable energy adoption, with its entire daytime electricity demand being met through solar energy. The Minister also congratulated Diu’s exceptional milestone as the first district in India to meet its entire power demand with solar energy, achieving 11.88 MW (9 MW ground-mounted + 2.88 MW rooftop) capacity. Union Minister Joshi visited Diu today to review its remarkable progress in solar energy adoption and assess the implementation of the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
The Minister chaired a high-level meeting at Diu, with senior officials of the UT administration to review the status of solar energy generation, its current supply framework, and future expansion prospects. During the meeting, Shri T. Arun, Energy Secretary of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, made a detailed presentation on existing solar energy plants, their production capacities, and household-level benefits. He informed the Minister that a large number of families in the UT are now availing the benefits of solar energy.
The meeting was also attended by Diu Collector Dr. Vivek Kumar, Deputy Collector Shri Shivam Mishra, Executive Engineer Shri Yogesh Tripathi, Shri Paresh Patel, and other senior officials.
Later, the Minister undertook a field visit to key solar energy facilities in Diu, including the 9 MW Solar Park located in Fudam. The Solar Park stands as a symbol of Diu’s sustainable transition and plays a vital role in meeting the region’s clean energy requirements.
The Minister noted that the Fudam solar park has contributed significantly to reducing transmission and distribution (T&D) losses and enabled the revision of electricity tariffs, making them more affordable for consumers. He also praised the leadership of the UT Administrator Shri Praful Patel, stating that his proactive approach and vision have been instrumental in realising this clean energy transformation.
Speaking on the long-term impact, the Minister remarked that the capital investments made over the past decade in renewable energy infrastructure in Diu have already been recovered through the supply and sale of solar power. He called for even faster and more effective implementation of the PM-Surya Ghar Yojana to maximise its benefits for the residents of the Union Territory and achieve total household saturation.
The visit reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment to accelerating clean energy deployment in every part of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
