The Ministry of Defence has approved a 250 MW solar power project with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh
| Photo Credit:
In a first-of-its-kind project undertaken by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on Tuesday approved setting up a 250 megawatt (MW) Solar Power project with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Sitapur (Ex-Cantonment) in Uttar Pradesh.For this initiative, the MoD will utilise around 850 acres of vacant defence land in Sitapur district.“This is the first-of-its-kind project undertaken by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), involving the development of a large-scale solar power generation facility with integrated BESS support on defence land,” MoD said.Defence land to support renewable energy expansionThe MoD has approximately 18 lakh acres of land, of which it has identified 45,906 acres as surplus. These land holdings can be utilised for other initiatives, such as setting up solar and wind power projects, compressed biogas (CBG) plants, and afforestation and floriculture.The initiative reflects the government’s commitment to clean energy, sustainability, and reducing dependence on conventional energy sources. Besides strengthening long-term energy security for the Defence Forces, the project is expected to substantially reduce expenditure incurred on the procurement of conventional grid power for defence establishments, resulting in significant savings to the Government exchequer over the life cycle of the project.NTPC to implement project through competitive biddingState-run NTPC is implementing the project through a competitive bidding process to achieve optimal energy pricing and savings for defence establishments.The project will be implemented in close coordination with the Integrated HQ of MoD (Army) and Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE). The project represents a convergence of national security, energy security, technological innovation, and environmental sustainability, highlighting the Ministry of Defence’s commitment to leveraging its assets to support national development goals while safeguarding strategic interests.Solar-plus-storage project expected to set a benchmarkMoD, NTPC, IHQ of MoD (Army) and DGDE will work in close coordination to ensure the timely implementation of the project. Upon completion, the Sitapur Solar Power Project is expected to emerge as one of the country’s most significant renewable energy projects established on defence land and a benchmark for future solar-plus-storage projects in the defence sector.Published on June 9, 2026
