Kurnool (AP), May 17 (PTI): He once labelled it a "scandalous project" but, after laying the foundation stone on Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy termed Greenko Energies' Integrated Renewable Energy Storage (IRES) project "wonderful and historic."

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As the Rs 15,000 crore 5,230 MW capacity project was initiated by the previous Chandrababu Naidu regime in 2018, Jagan Mohan Reddy, after becoming the Chief Minister in 2019, dubbed the Greenko project a scandal along with two other renewable energy projects in the Rayalaseema region.

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Things, however, seemed to have changed after a key member of the promoter's family defected to the YSR Congress from the Telugu Desam Party, after having lost the Kakinada Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 election.

Touted to be the first-of-its-kind and "world's largest," the IRES project entails an investment of USD 3 billion and will be the largest energy cloud storage platform with a daily storage capacity of 50 Giga Watt-hour by 2025. The storage capacity is expected to double by the year 2027, according to Greenko.

The project, comprising solar (3,000 MW) and wind (550 MW) energy with a pumped storage of 1,680 MW, uses 'off-stream closed loop standalone storage system' for highest efficiency and long-duration energy storage round-the-clock.

Speaking on the occasion, Jagan Mohan Reddy said a wonderful and historic event was being unveiled and this was the time for everyone to rejoice.

The project, he said, would be a role model for the entire country in renewable energy generation.

"This project shows the entire country how green power can be produced. This will be a pioneer for such projects in the country," the Chief Minister added.

Energy Minister P R C Reddy, Greenko Managing Director Ch Anil and others attended the event.

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