The Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) has invited an expression of interest (EoI) to set up 16 MW of canal top solar photovoltaic (PV) projects at WYC Hydel Power Station at Bhudkalan, in Yamuna Nagar. The bid-submission deadline is February 12, 2019.

A single bidder must bid for the entire capacity. According to the HPGCL, the capacity will be spread over four locations. A 4.5 MW canal top solar project will be developed between Power House D and A, a 5.5 MW project will be developed between Power House A B, 4 MW will be set up between Power House B and C, and a 2 MW canal top solar PV project will be set up at old slit ejection channels.

The proposed sites are located approximately at a distance of 42 km from Yamuna Nagar and approximately 110 km from Chandigarh.

The scope of work includes the installation, commissioning, grid synchronization, operation, of the canal top solar PV projects. The project developer will get the area free of cost for the project development. The HPGCL will enter 25-year power purchase agreement with the project developer. After 25 years, the entire project will become the property of the HPGCL.

Implementing agencies are catching up on canal top solar installations. Last year, the Irrigation and Water Resource Department (IWRD) in the state of Uttar Pradesh issued a tender to develop 100 MW of grid-connected canal top solar PV projects under public private partnership (PPP) model.

The canal bank and canal top solar project program was launched in financial year 2014-15. Under this program, solar projects have been commissioned in eight different states (50 MW – canal banks and 50 MW – canal tops), including Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Project capacities range from a minimum of 1 MW to a maximum of 10 MW.

In a bid to promote these installations, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is also providing a subsidy of ₹30 million (~$0.45 million)/MW of installed capacity for canal bank projects and a subsidy of ₹1.5 million (~$0.22 million)/MW of installed capacity for canal top projects.

Image credit: Sardarsarovardam.org