French developers EREN Renewable Energy (EREN RE) and EDF Energies Nouvelles, a unit of France-based power utility EDF, have commissioned three solar plants with a combined capacity of 87 MW in the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.

The projects are held via EDEN, the companies’ solar PV joint venture, which develops, builds and operates solar energy projects in India.

The two power plants UTT1 and UTT2 of 36 MW each are situated in the State of Uttarakhand located in north India. Each photovoltaic installation has 225,000 panels. The power generated from the plants will cover the annual energy needs of 95,000 Indian homes.

The two projects were won and developed by an Indian consortium (made up of Omkar Powertech India Private Limited, Profigate Infra Gasoline, and Rays Power Infra Private Limited) following the competitive tender launched in 2013 by the Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA).

EDEN have joint ownership of the two installations, alongside Rays Power Infra Limited, a local player ranking among India’s leading solar energy companies.

The other installation in Madhya Pradesh, the 15 MW plant will generate electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of 25,000 Indian homes. This project was won in 2015 following the competitive tender launched by Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited (MPPMCL).

The two power plants in Uttarakhand and one in Madhya Pradesh have a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) and MPPMCL respectively.

EDEN arranged the financing and supervised the construction of these three solar power plants. Through its local presence and team of experts based in Delhi, EDEN now operates over 200 MW solar capacity in the States of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh in India.