Tata Power Solar has bagged a 70 MW floating solar project in the state of Kerala. The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) had issued tender for the development of 70 MW of floating solar PV projects at Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Project at Kayamkulam, Kerala in October 2018.

The project is to be commissioned in 21 months, and solar PV cells and modules for this project can be sourced from anywhere in the world.

Speaking to Mercom, an official from the NTPC said, ”Yes, Tata Power has won Kayamkulam floating solar project.” The Kayamkulam project is estimated to be worth ₹3.43 billion (~$48.4 million) and comes with a three-year operation and maintenance responsibility for the developer.

NTPC had also issued another 22 MW floating solar project to be developed at the same site in June 2018.

NTPC has been actively issuing tenders for development of floating solar projects at its plant locations across the country. In February, NTPC invited applications for the enlistment of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) bidders for the development of grid-connected capacity of 50 MW or more of floating and/or ground-mounted solar PV project on turnkey basis followed by another tender for the enlistment of EPC bidders to develop floating or ground-mounted solar PV projects between 10-50 MW capacity.

In August, the company retendered and invited fresh bids for a 20 MW floating solar project to be developed at the reservoir of NTPC’s Auraiya Gas Power Plant at Dibiyabpur in Uttar Pradesh. The tender was initially floated in December 2018. The other floating solar project tenders by the company include a 100 MW of grid-connected floating solar project at NTPC Ramagundam, located in Telangana, a 25 MW floating solar project at NTPC Simhadri, located in Andhra Pradesh, a 15 MW of grid-connected floating solar project at its Koldam hydroelectric power project (HEPP), located in the state of Himachal Pradesh and a 20 MW of grid-connected floating solar project at its Anta gas power station in Rajasthan.

Floating solar power projects are favored mostly in states where land availability for the development of utility-scale solar projects has been an issue. Of late, there have been numerous efforts across the states to utilize this concept of floating solar projects to build a clean sustainable future.

Image credit: SPG Solar [CC BY-SA 3.0]

Anjana is a news editor at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, she held roles of senior editor, district correspondent, and sub-editor for The Times of India, Biospectrum and The Sunday Guardian. Before that, she worked at the Deccan Herald and the Asianlite as chief sub-editor and news editor. She has also contributed to The Quint, Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express, Reader’s Digest (UK edition), IndiaSe (Singapore-based magazine) and Asiaville. Anjana holds a Master’s degree in Geography from North Bengal University, and a diploma in mass communication and journalism from Guru Ghasidas University, Bhopal.