The biggest floating solar plant of India is reportedly being developed in Ramagundam, Telangana and is expected to be commissioned by May 2021. It would be one of the solar plants being developed by the energy conglomerate National Thermal Power Corporation, with a capacity of around 217 MW floating solar capacity over the next few months.

Meanwhile, the other renewable energy plants are expected to be commissioned this year include 25-megawatt unit at Simhadri power plant and 92-megawatt floating unit at Kayamkulam gas plant located in Kerala.

The energy conglomerate is in the process of implementing around 450 megawatts of solar power capacity, out of which around 230 megawatts ground mounted solar plant in Ettayapuram located near Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu would be set up by 2022.

NTPC was expected to start work on these floating solar projects already, however, they got delayed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The floating solar PV (photovoltaic) project at National Thermal Power Corporation Ramagundam would be installed across a water surface area of around 450 acres in a reservoir. The solar project is expected to see an investment of approximately  430 crore.

Besides, the firm, having an overall installed capacity of over 9,125 megawatts of the energy conglomerate’s total capacity of 64,880 megawatts, which includes JVs, is working towards the implementation of 2 800 megawatts coal-fired thermal power projects positioned at Ramagundam. The phase-I of the new project is likely to be commissioned by January 2022 and phase-II by March 2022.

The firm has successfully finished the completion of pilot projects in Kawas of 1 megawatt and Kayamkulam of 100 kWh and are further implementing much bigger projects.

In addition, the numerous initiatives by National Thermal Power Corporation to set up solar power plants in selected states of India would further empower India’s goal to achieve nearly 175 GW installed RE (renewable energy) by 2022.

Source credit: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-biggest-floating-solar-power-plant-to-be-commissioned-by-may-2388133