Mumbai, Aug. 3 -- Tata Power has chosen Gopalpur in Odisha to set up a 10 gigawatt (GW) solar ingot and wafer manufacturing facility on land within the Tata Steel Special Economic Zone. The decision followed evaluation of incentives, power costs and logistical advantages against competing offers from other states including Andhra Pradesh. The company's chief executive and managing director confirmed the location during the first-quarter earnings call.
Construction is scheduled to begin in October 2026, with the first five GW phase expected to become operational by January 2028 and the second phase about six months later. The total investment was reported at around Rs 66-66.75 billion (bn). Tata Power already operates a 4.3 GW cell and module plant that is running at full capacity and does not have immediate expansion plans.
The upstream facility is intended to provide backward integration by supplying ingots and wafers that India currently imports in significant volumes, particularly from China, thereby securing inputs for domestic demand and potential exports. The choice of Odisha reflected a package of incentives approved by the state, including a capital investment subsidy of around 30 per cent, a 20-year full waiver on electricity duty and a Rs two per unit power tariff subsidy, together with benefits such as scheduled caste and scheduled tribe cost reimbursements. Ready access to acquired land in the Gopalpur SEZ, proximity to ports and lower power costs were cited as factors enabling faster project mobilisation.
Company leadership highlighted export opportunities, especially into Europe where policy shifts favour non-Chinese supply chains, and estimated an initial two to three GW export window for one country that could expand over time. With commissioning of the first phase targeted for early 2028 the development is positioned to strengthen Tata Power's integrated presence across the clean energy value chain and to help establish Odisha as an emerging hub for solar manufacturing. The project timeline and incentive structure are expected to support rapid mobilisation and supply security.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.