In a first, solar power projects planned on dams
The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MahaGenco) is planning to develop solar power projects on dams in its first such attempt in the state. These floating solar panels will do away with the need for the state-owned utility to acquire land to add capacity to its renewable energy portfolio and also reduce the evaporation of water from these reservoirs.
The MahaGenco plans to develop solar power worth 250 MW capacity through this route. “We are planning solar power projects on dams and have initiated pre-feasibility studies. In the initial phase, these panels will be set up on our own reservoirs, such as the Irai dam at Chandrapur which supplies water to the Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS), after which we can take up work on the irrigation department’s resources,” a senior MahaGenco official told DNA.
The projects are likely to be set up in the public private partnership (PPP) route through tariff-based competitive bidding. The MahaGenco is also considering some dams owned by the water resources department, including those in Vidarbha and the Ujani dam at Solapur, for adding solar power capacity.
A senior water resources department official said they were willing to allow the setup of such projects on dams …read more
