IPCL Ties Up with Bhutan Firm for 70 MW Solar Project in Paro

India Power Corporation Ltd. (IPCL) has announced a strategic partnership with Bhutan’s Green Energy Power Pvt. Ltd. to develop a 70 MW solar power project in Bhutan’s Paro district.

The project forms part of the West Bengal-based utility’s plan to build 1.5 GW of solar capacity in Bhutan over the next five years, the company said in a statement.

Bhutan’s power demand is expected to more than double within two years, driven by major developments such as the Gelephu Mindful City project, expansion of energy-intensive industries including ferrosilicon, and rising demand from digital infrastructure and crypto-mining operations.

While hydropower remains the backbone of Bhutan’s energy mix, the country has set a target of achieving 25,000 MW of installed capacity by 2034, including 5,000 MW from solar energy.

According to IPCL, the Tenchuka site in Paro was selected after a preliminary technical assessment. The proposed project will be spread over around 200 acres of south-facing land with high solar irradiation and is located about 3.5 km from the Jamjee 220/33 kV substation, enabling efficient power evacuation.

Commenting on the development, Somesh Dasgupta, Whole-Time Director of IPCL, said the project reflects the company’s commitment to cross-border energy cooperation and its ambition to become a 1.5 GW solar player by 2030.

Tandi Dorji, Founder of Green Energy Power Private Limited, said the project would be Bhutan’s first independent power producer (IPP) solar project.

Bhutan is increasingly attracting interest from Indian power companies. Tata Power and Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) are jointly developing about 5,000 MW of clean energy projects, while Adani Power has signed an MoU with DGPC to explore up to 5,000 MW of hydropower capacity.

Reliance Power, in partnership with Druk Holding and Investments, is developing a 500 MW solar project and planning additional hydropower projects.

IPCL is an integrated power utility with operations spanning power distribution, smart metering, renewable energy and thermal generation. The company said that over 70 per cent of its portfolio now comes from green energy.