A senior official in the state Energy department told Newsline on Tuesday that the Clinton Foundation has already initiated a dialogue with the state government with regard to a solar power project it proposes to set up in Kutch. In fact, a team of Foundation representatives recently paid an exploratory visit to the desert district, and even discussed the proposal with Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The official said that with the state government having announced its Solar Power Policy, 2009, the Foundation is likely to ink an MoU at the impending Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit to set up a solar power generation project.

“The Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) has already done a study on the proposed project for the Foundation, which seems keen to set up a 500 MW solar power project in the first phase,” the official said.

Sources in the department said that the Foundation, prompted by the “positive” study report prepared by TERI, has expressed its willingness to invest about Rs 70,000 crore in solar power generation sector in a phased manner.