At 600 MW- the world’s largest floating solar energy plant has been proposed to be built on the Omkareshwar Dam reservoir on the Narmada river in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. The project, as per a statement by state new and renewable energy minister Hardeep Singh Dang will begin power generation by the year 2022-23.
According to OrissaPost’s report, the estimated investment in this project stands at Rs3,000 crore. And the International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank and the Power Grid have granted in-principle consent for providing aid for the said project development. The primary feasibility study of the project has been completed in collaboration with the World Bank. The project is likely to begin power generation by the year 2022-23, as per the Minister. He further added that the work of transmission line route survey will begin from the project area to Khandwa sub-station by power grid this month. The tender for the environment and social impact of the project area is also being issued. Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company has agreed to purchase 400 MW power from the project.
It is also estimated that in 2 years, the project will start providing cheap and good quality power. In September, it was announced that state-owned thermal power major Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) will focus only on solar projects to add new capacity to its portfolio.
According to a top company official, the firm had already mooted 1776 MW of floating solar projects in four of its dams in West Bengal and Jharkhand, the two states that jointly own the corporation along with the Union government.
