Andhra Pradesh: NTPC Commissions 25 MW Floating Solar Plant In Visakhapatnam

The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC ) Ltd has commissioned the largest floating solar PV project of 25 MW on the reservoir of its Simhadri thermal station in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

This solar plant is also the first solar project to be set up under the Flexibilisation Scheme, notified by the Government of India in 2018.

The floating solar installation, which has a unique anchoring design, is spread over 75 acres in a reservoir.

This floating solar project has the potential to generate electricity from more than 1 lakh solar PV modules. This plant would help light around 7,000 households and ensure at least 46,000 tons of CO2 emissions are reduced every year during the lifespan of this project.

The project is also expected to save 1,364 million litres of water per annum, which will meet the yearly water requirements of 6,700 households.

The 2,000 MW coal-based Simhadri Station is the first power project to implement an open sea intake from the Bay of Bengal, functional for more than 20 years.

NTPC is also planning to set up a hydrogen-based micro-grid system on a pilot basis at Simhadri.

With a total installed capacity of 66,900 MW, NTPC Group has 71 Power stations, including 29 Renewable projects.

NTPC has set a target to install 60 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy (RE) capacity by 2032. NTPC is also India's first energy company to declare its energy compact goals as part of the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE).

The group has over 17 GW of capacity under construction, including 5 GW of renewable energy projects.