Hyderabad, July 20: The state is vying for a mega solar energy plant proposed by the Clinton Foundation in the United States. The plant, which will come up in 25,000 acres with an investment of $20 billion, is expected to generate 5,000 MW of power using various ways of tapping solar energy. Official sources told this newspaper that a delegation of the foundation led by international head Ira Magaziner was recently shown suitable area in the perennially drought hit Anantapur district. "Based on the climatic conditions Anantapur is an ideal location where large tracts of barren land is already available," said a senior official involved with the project. The foundation is also considering Jaisalmer in Rajasthan and Rann of Kutch region in Gujarat for setting up the facility and a final decision would be taken based on the data pertaining to number of sunny days in a year and the solar radiation index data. The foundation had already grounded a similar project in Australia, while preparations are on for the project in California, US. Sources said the team was convinced with the social infrastructure in Anantapur and close proximity to Bengaluru international airport. "We informed the delegation about allotting 5,000 acres immediately and another 20,000 in the next few months," the official said adding that the state was hopeful of gaining advantage over the two other states because of the availability of well connected land. It all began when the state officials started negotiating with Dr R.K. Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate which shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore in 2007, over setting up the plant in the state. Dr Pachauri, who is also involved in the Clinton Global Initiative commitment titled "light a million lives" in India, wrote a letter to the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, on the project. Though the area identified in Rajasthan is hotter than Anantapur, officials believe that sunny days are longer in AP. than the former. "Secondly, the lower the raditation the higher will be the requirement for land which we are ready to provide," the official pointed out.