Warangal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the 100-MW floating solar power plant established by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in 500 acres of its reservoir at Ramagundam in Peddapalli district to the nation.
On the final day of the ‘Bijli Mahotsav’ celebrations, titled ‘Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya Power @2047’, the Prime Minister also dedicated the floating solar power plant at Kayamkulam in Kerala to the nation, through the virtual mode.
The Union power ministry had organised the Bijli Mahotsav as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations to mark 75 years of India’s Independence.
Speaking at the event, the PM urges state government to clear dues of power utilities of about Rs 2.5 lakh crore to strengthen the energy sector which has to play a big role in accelerating growth. “The strength of the energy sector is also important for Ease of Doing Business and is equally important for Ease of Livingm” he said.
Highlighting the financial problems being faced by power utilities, he said, “It is not a matter of ‘Rajniti’ (politics) but pertains to ‘Rashtra Niti’ and nation building.”
“They have to give this money to power generation companies,” he said, adding that many government departments and local bodies owe more than Rs 60,000 crore rupees to power distribution companies.
The Prime Minister said that power companies are not able to get even the money that has been committed for subsidy on electricity in different states on time and in full. The arrear works out to be more than Rs 75,000 crore.
The Prime Minister said that in the last eight years, about 1.7 lakh MW of electricity generation capacity had been added in the country. One Nation One Power Grid, he said, has become the strength of the country. About 1.7 lakh circuit kilometre transmission lines had been laid to connect the entire country.
By giving 3 crore connections under the Saubhagya Scheme, the country was nearing the saturation goal, he added.
He also laid the foundation stone of the 735 MW Nokh solar project in Rajasthan, green hydrogen mobility project in Leh and Kawas green hydrogen blending with natural gas project in Gujarat.
The Prime Minister also launched a national solar rooftop portal, which will enable online tracking of the process of installation of rooftop solar plants, starting from registering the applications to release of subsidies in residential consumers’ bank accounts after installation and inspection of the plant.
National Thermal Power Corporation, Ramagundam, first built a 10-MW solar power plant and generated about 12 million units of power per annum, saving around 14,000 tonnes of coal reserves.
It then built the 100-MW floating solar power project on its balancing reservoir spread over 500 acres, costing Rs 423 crore. Project built by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
The largest such unit in the country produces around 5 lakh units of electricity on a sunny day.
Coal consumption of 1.65 lakh tonnes can be saved per year, preventing emission of 2.1 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The floating project covers the water in the reservoir and reducess evaporation by about 32.5 lakh cubic metres.
The project is divided into 40 blocks of 2.5 MW. Each block consists of 11,200 solar modules. The floating platform hs an inverter, transformer and a breaker.
All electrical equipment including the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is established on floating ferro cement platforms.
The anchoring of the system is made of concrete blocks.
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