State-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) announced plans to set up a 600-MW solar power project at the Koyna hydel power complex in Maharashtra.
The company is planning to set up floating solar panels with pumped storage system, according to company officials. The facility will be located in Satara district of Maharashtra.
Cost of setting up the facility will be around Rs 9-10 crore per MW.
The Koyna project with a total capacity of 1,960 MW is the largest completed hydroelectric power plant in the country with a total capacity of 1,960 MW. It consists of four dams, including the largest dam on the Koyna river.
Hydel projects face several roadblocks. Construction delays, uncertainty in monsoons and environmental problems make it difficult to set up hydel projects. This is the reason why NHPC is turning to solar.
As part of its plans to expand solar portfolio, NHPC has also announced plans to set up 188 MW solar projects across the country. The company also signed a MoU with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to set up projects to the tune of 250 MW.
Further NHPC is also in talks with Kerala, Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh governments for setting up more solar projects. The Kerala project is of capacity 72 MW while that in Maharashtra will be of 50 MW. In UP, NHPC is in talks to Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency to jointly develop a 50 MW solar power plant.
Rajani Baburajan