Floating solar plant at Dhanas lake in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, September 4

A 500-kW floating solar energy plant has been installed at the Dhanas lake. After the commissioning of the plant, three fountains coming up at the lake and the establishment branch of the Forest Department would get power from it.

While one of the fountains will be 25-metre tall, the two others, to be set up around it, will be of 13 meter height. The fountain work is expected to be completed by this month-end.

“The installation of the floating energy plant is almost complete. Now, work on it commissioning will start. Three fountains will be run with solar energy. The plant will also supply power to the forest wing’s branch. This project is good for aeration and oxygen content will also increase in the area,” said Debendra Dalai, Chief Executive Officer, Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST).

The society has now set a target of 75 MWp through solar pants to be achieved by August 15 next year. “Rooftop solar plants with an aggregate capacity of 50.588 MWp have been installed and commissioned at 4,200 sites in the city,” added Dalai.

With an eye on achieving the target of becoming a 100 per cent renewable energy-powered city, the UT is going to rope in private players for installing rooftop solar plants at private residential buildings free of cost.

Under the model, a private company will install solar panels without taking any installation charges from house owners. The owners will get electricity at nearly Rs 1.50 per unit less than the existing rates for the next about 15 years.

A petition has been filed before the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for approval.