Vijayawada: Chief secretary K Vijayanand and minister for energy Gottipati Ravi Kumar reviewed progress of renewable energy projects being implemented by Axis Energy, Suzlon Energy, and Reliance at the Secretariat on Wednesday. The minister said the government is committed to expediting these projects and ensuring maximum local employment.

Minister Ravi Kumar directed both Axis Energy and Suzlon to accelerate the grounding of their allotted capacities in line with CTUIL (Central Transmission Utility of India Ltd) timelines. He urged the companies to prioritise local employment during both the construction and operation phases and to expand skill development initiatives for the state’s youth.

The minister also advised the companies to adhere to execution milestones, engage in community development and CSR activities, and maintain transparency to boost investor confidence.

Representatives from Axis Energy stated that through its joint venture with Brookfield—Evren, the company has grounded renewable energy projects with a total capacity of 3,000 mw in Andhra Pradesh.

They have made significant progress in land acquisition, evacuation, and signing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for the entire 3 GW capacity. With an investment of over Rs 30,500 crore already in motion, Axis Energy has committed to creating 3,500 jobs in the state.

Suzlon Energy representatives reported that they have restarted and upgraded their manufacturing facility at Kuderu in Anantapur to produce higher-capacity 3.15 MW turbines. The facility currently provides firm employment to 1,200 people, with plans to generate an additional 500 jobs annually.

So far, Suzlon has commissioned 1,375 MW of projects, attracting investments of about Rs 12,000 crore. The company has a project implementation agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government to develop 4,000 mw of renewable energy projects and has already secured orders for approximately 1900 mw. Suzlon has also launched India’s largest green skill development programme in Andhra Pradesh.

During the meeting, Ravi Kumar also reviewed the progress of Reliance’s Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) projects. He announced that in the first phase, CBG plants would be established in Prakasam, Nellore, and Palnadu districts, with a future expansion to Annamayya and Kadapa districts.

The minister instructed Reliance to complete the plants within the stipulated timelines and maintain high quality standards. He highlighted that these projects would not only create employment opportunities for local youth but also offer farmers better lease values for their land.

Reliance representatives informed the minister that through 500 CBG plants across the state, the company plans to create approximately 2.5 lakh jobs. They committed to paying a lease of Rs 15,000 per acre for unused government land and Rs 31,000 per acre for farmers’ land. The company has committed to a total investment of Rs 65,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh’s CBG sector.

Senior officials from NREDCAP and representatives from all three companies were present at the review meeting.