The 1500-MW NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park is spread across 11,000 acres in Ananthapuramu district. It commenced operations in 2016 when land was acquired for the same. The solar power park is a joint venture of Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation Pvt Ltd, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, APTRANSCO, Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, and New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of AP Ltd. They acquired lands from the farmers and leased it to five private power generators (Tata Power Renewable Energy, Azure Power Thirty Six Pvt. Ltd, ACME Solar Holdings Pvt. Ltd, FRV Power India Pvt. Ltd and NTPC) to set up the power plants. The power generated will be purchased by the Solar Energy Corporation of India and then sold to other companies.
Farmers whose lands were acquired for the park staged protests and stated that the state has given them lesser compensation than promised. Leaders of opposition parties, who led the protests, claimed that though the farmers were promised a compensation of Rs 2.1 lakh per acre, they had actually received less compensation. Farmers’ protests also disrupted works on construction of the power plants by the private power generators.
In June 2018, the farmers launched an agitation seeking money for the 56 Darakastu Patta (DKT)-holders (Darakastu Patta holders is a category of people in Andhra Pradesh who are assigned government waste land for the sole purpose of cultivation) and 1,156 S. J. Dhar farmers (A category of farmers who till the land). Outgoing Collector G. Veerapandian re-sent the proposals to Principal Secretary (Energy) Ajay Jain, and the then Chief Minister approved it. The revenue authorities identified 932 members out of the 1,156 Dhar farmers and disbursed Rs 9.32 crore. While the remaining persons are seeking compensation, new names have been added to the list, allegedly with political backing.
The project work has thus come to a standstill since June 2019. The project and payment of compensation for the land is shelved.
In March 2020, the Andhra Pradesh government proposed three new solar parks in Ananthapuramu district on land that is not under cultivation.
According to news reports, 250 MW plant within the NP Kunta (Ananthapuramu) Ultra Mega plant has been commissioned. The remaining 750 MW generation has been kept under suspended animation owing to pricing row between the state government and the bidding companies.
UPDATED SUMMARY:
Andhra Pradesh is rapidly positioning itself as a national leader in renewable energy development through major investments in large-scale integrated solar, wind, and battery storage projects. A key initiative is ACME Group’s ₹3,000 crore, 400 MW solar power project with integrated battery energy storage in Anantapur, developed under the Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) framework which enables the supply of round-the-clock renewable electricity. The project has progressed swiftly from regulatory approvals to on-ground construction within just four months, reflecting the state government’s fast-track clearance systems and investor-friendly governance. Scheduled for commissioning in 2026, the project is expected to significantly enhance grid stability while accelerating India’s clean energy transition. This momentum is further reinforced by [ReNew Power’s ₹22,000 crore] (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/ap-set-to-house-indias-largest-integrated-green-energy-project/articleshow/121170892.cms) integrated green energy project at Bethapalli in Anantapur, which will become India’s largest single-site renewable energy complex. The project will ultimately combine 1,800 MW of solar, 1,000 MW of wind, and 2,000 MW of battery energy storage, enabling continuous, reliable clean energy generation at unprecedented scale. The first phase alone includes 587 MW of solar, 250 MW of wind, and 415 MW of battery storage, demonstrating Andhra Pradesh’s readiness to host high-capacity renewable infrastructure. On-ground developments at the ACME project site in Anantapur further underline the state’s efficiency in project execution, facilitated by single-window approvals, land availability, and robust transmission infrastructure. These initiatives collectively align with Andhra Pradesh’s [Integrated Clean Energy Policy] (https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/acme-solar-power-project-in-anantapur-makes-tangible-progress-on-the-ground/article70510033.ece#google\_vignette) which targets 72 GW of renewable capacity over the next five years, positioning the state as a strategic hub for India’s sustainable energy future.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for promised compensation
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common and Private
Non-Forest (Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project stalled
Original Project Deadline
2016
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Yes
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Agricultural land
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Yes
Source/Reference
<https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/work-on-nambulapulakunta-solar-park-comes-to-a-standstill/article27585237.ece> Besides resistance from community members, conflicting interests of different political parties in the state is also a reason for the project being stalled (Source in above link).
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Land Acquisition Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Non-payment of compensation/promised compensation
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
National Thermal Power Corporation, AP Solar Power Corporation Pvt Ltd, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, APTRANSCO, AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of A.P Ltd
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Local farmers
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
