Kashi’s Jalkal dept to produce solar energy by December end

Varanasi: The Jalkal department, which supplies water in Varanasi, will also start producing electricity (solar energy) by the end of December.
Sources said the department will generate 2 MW power on a daily basis.
For this purpose, solar panels are being installed on the premises of Varanasi Jal Sansthan by the UP Jal Nigam, the executing agency. With this development, the department will not only save electricity but also sell electricity to the grid.
“As the government is determined to make all departments self-sufficient, work is in progress in Jalkal department for generation of solar energy,” said Jal Nigam's executive engineer Shahroz Dost. He said the Jal Nigam is installing solar panels on a large scale for Jalkal department, which will not only save electricity but also sell it in the days to come.
The official further said the cost of the entire project is Rs 19 crore. “More than 3,700 solar panels have been installed in an area of 14,400 square meters. There are 40 solar trees, and each solar tree has 10 solar panels. “The department will generate 2 MW electricity from solar energy,” he said.
He informed that the monthly electricity bill of Bhadaini pump house of Bhelupur Jalkal is Rs 24 lakh, which will be halved after selling the electricity generated from solar energy to the grid. After generation of solar energy, the Jalkal department will have to pay only about Rs 12 lakh per month.
He further said that the solar panel will generate an average of 7000 units of electricity per day, which will cost around Rs 56,000. After going to the grid, the department will adjust the bill according to the rules. “After testing, the production of electricity from solar energy will start by the end of December. The cost of the project will be recovered in six to seven years,” he said.