Websol Energy System has shifted its proposed 4 GW solar cell and module manufacturing expansion from Andhra Pradesh to West Bengal, while keeping its overall capacity addition plan unchanged.
The facility was earlier planned at Naidupeta in Andhra Pradesh but will now be developed near the company’s existing manufacturing facility at Falta, West Bengal. Around six months had been spent preparing for the Andhra Pradesh project, including an MoU and approvals. No financial outflow had been made towards land in Andhra Pradesh. The 4 GW expansion will be implemented in two phases of 2 GW each. The project cost, funding strategy and overall capacity plan remain unchanged following the relocation.
Construction Expected To Begin In September
Land approval is expected during Q2 FY27, while construction is scheduled to begin around mid-September and take approximately nine months. Equipment ordering is planned for around December, with machinery expected to arrive in April-May. This will be followed by around two months of trial runs.
The West Bengal location is expected to provide operational benefits through access to existing infrastructure, supply chains and skilled manpower. Land-related expenditure is also expected to be lower than in Andhra Pradesh, while the existing workforce could reduce additional senior-level hiring requirements. Websol’s existing manufacturing operations recorded higher utilisation during Q1 FY27. Solar cell production increased to 259 MW from 126 MW a year earlier, with utilisation reaching 92 per cent. Module production rose to 103 MW from 50 MW, while utilisation increased to 81 per cent from 39 per cent.
Revenue from operations increased 70 per cent year-on-year to Rs 373 crore. EBITDA rose 21 per cent to Rs 126 crore, while profit after tax increased 16 per cent to Rs 78 crore. EBITDA margin declined to 34 per cent from 47 per cent due to a higher share of lower-margin module production. As of June 30, Websol had a confirmed order book of Rs 1,278 crore, compared with Rs 1,161 crore at the end of March 2026.
Separately, an existing 600 MW Mono PERC solar cell line is being upgraded to TOPCon technology, increasing its capacity to 750 MW. The upgrade involves estimated capital expenditure of around Rs 270 crore and is targeted for completion by March 2027. The broader 4 GW manufacturing expansion remains unchanged despite the shift from Andhra Pradesh to West Bengal.