Thursday, October 30, 2014: Back on 14 February 2014, India’s new pro-solar PM Narendra Modi, who was then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, laid the foundation stone for a 10MW canal top project, which is all set to go live online now after completion of installation. Earlier in 2012 a 1MW solar power plant was set up on the top of Narmada canal and it was very well-received too.
The mega project was developed by Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL) and Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL). If solar power plants are set up on canals, they are said to have some additional benefits as they save land as well as water. This is called capacity utilisation factor which is highly used in Gujarat and it’s success rate is around 18 per cent. But the project did cost the government huge as at that time it did cost $2.9 million for 1 MW. Due to high cost, this project was criticised by some.
Then, the Gujarat government decided to develop their second over-the-canal solar project for 10MW and after eight months’ continuous hard work, now this 3.5 km long solar plant has been installed successfully. It can also appear online anytime now. This project is set in Vadodara and the EPC was looked after by Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL). This system has cost the government around $15 million. The plant is expected to generate more than 16 million units a year and the generated power will be used in five pumping generators along Saurashtra branch canals.
