The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) will set up grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects to cut down on the utilization of thermal power and save its energy cost. To this effect, the SDMC has entered an agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to develop two grid-connected solar PV projects aggregating 27.5 MW.

According to PTI, “the SDMC has inked an MoU with SECI for the generation of 27.5 MW of power from two separate solar plants, one at Ghuman Hera near Najafgarh in Delhi, and another piece of land owned by the SDMC in Faridabad.”

The corporation has decided to utilize the vacant land for the installation of solar projects. PTI quoted the South Delhi Mayor Narender Chawla saying that the site has been identified at Ferozpur village. “Nearly 105 acres of land at Ghuman Hera 9.5 acres of land at Ferozpur has been made available for setting up the solar projects. After a detailed study, solar projects of estimated capacity 25 MW and 2.5 MW have been planned at Ghuman Hera and Ferozpur respectively. These are expected to be commissioned in 18 months after the work begins,” PTI quoted the mayor as saying.

Chawla said that the estimated cost for the projects at Ghuman Hera and Ferozpur are ₹1,450 million (~$20.7 million) and ₹200 million (~$2.8 million) respectively. The funds for these projects will be generated through public bonds, and the process has already been initiated.

SDMC’s Standing Committee Chairperson Shikha Rai said that the SDMC will save ₹225 million (~$3.2 million) per annum from the Ghuman Hera project and earn ₹15.5 million (~$0.22 million) from exporting energy generated by the Ferozepur plant.

The commissioning of the two projects is in tune with SDMC’s commitment to minimize its consumption of thermal power, conserve natural resources and environment and earn huge savings, added Rai.

In May 2018, SDMC became country’s first civic body to earn a significant income in just three months by selling the surplus solar power generated from rooftop solar PV projects to Delhi’s power distribution company BSES.