Floating solar power plant to be ready soon in Telangana

PEDDAPALLI: If the authorities concerned manage to expedite all remaining works within the stipulated time, India’s largest floating solar power plant with a power generation capacity of 100 MW, will be ready soon.Being developed in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)-Ramagundam reservoir, the project is expected to give a boost to the share of renewable energy in the State.

It may be mentioned here that the NTPC is already generating 10 MWs of solar power at Ramagundam, since the past few years, and this 100-MW floating project will add to the efforts of the Corporation to meet the rising demand for power. The project was commissioned by the NTPC with an aim to reduce pollution caused by thermal power plants in India.

Though the works pertaining to the floating solar power plant were affected after the imposition of the nationwide lockdown in March, 2020, and the second wave of Covid-19 that followed, the officials were able to resume the construction recently. Meanwhile, the Corporation is also focused on setting up similar floating solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation projects in the neighbouring States of Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well.

The plant is being jointly developed by the NTPC and the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), across 450 acres of water surface area.Salient features of the project include the fact that the officials did not acquire even a single acre of land for commissioning the plant as all PV cells are installed above the surface of water. As a result, the project will not only cause any pollution, but also won’t affect the environment.

While thermal power plants emit tonnes of ash, which have to be disposed properly or will cause major environmental hazards, solar power plants can be termed as “the ideal option to avoid such situations”. It may be mentioned here that the plant is being developed at a cost of Rs 430 crore.

At a time when most reservoirs in the State are brimming with water, thanks to the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), if the officials focus on constructing more floating solar power plants, Telangana will no longer have to knock on the doors of other States for its power needs.

“NTPC is completely focused on generating renewable energy. The 100-MW floating solar power plant at Ramagundam was commissioned while keeping this objective in mind. It will be environment-friendly,” says Sunil Kumar, Chief General Manager, NTPC (Ramagundam & Telangana).