A floating solar power plant generating electricity worth ₹1.38 crore annually is being planned at the Sector-39 water works.
The revenues will be shared between the Chandigarh administration and municipal corporation in 70:30 ratio. Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) will implement the project. “The 2MWp floating special purpose vehicle (SPV) floating power plant will generate 28 lakh units per annum and would be set up under the CAPEX mode where all the expenditure will be borne by the CREST,” stated a report submitted to the MC by the society. The proposal for the same will be submitted before the MC General House for its approval on November 12.
Notably, an agenda for the same was brought before the MC House on August 30 also, but the House had sought more details from the CREST.
In response, the CREST has submitted that the revenue share plan was decided by the UT finance department in 2015 for allowing use of MC building. “Therefore, same model has been proposed for floating SPV between MC and CREST for setting up floating solar power plant to be installed at raw water tank number 7 and 8 at Sector 39 water works,” the CREST has informed the MC.
The cleaning, it said, can be done by shifting the power plan to one side of the tank as “panels are floating in nature or by dismantling them in case the tank is completely emptied”. Panels can be reinstalled later. “The floating power plant will be installed in such a manner that it can be shifted in any corner during maintenance,” said the CREST’s fresh submission to MC states.