In Short : Work on the West Kallada floating solar project is set to begin soon. This initiative aims to harness solar energy using floating panels, contributing to sustainable energy production and optimizing water resource utilization in the region.
In Detail : Spread over 340 acres of land at Mundakapadam, ₹300-crore project project is expected to be the largest floating solar project in the State
Ending a wait that lasted for over a decade, the construction work on the West Kallada floating solar project is expected to begin shortly.
Though the ambitious project was launched in 2013, its progress was delayed due to multiple challenges. Spread over 340 acres of land at Mundakapadam, it is the largest floating solar project in the State, says the West Kallada panchayat officials.
The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), the nodal agency for the project, will bear all expenses for the ₹300-crore project. Earlier there were confusions regrading the tariff, but the dispute was recently resolved in the presence of the Electricity Minister, the Kunnathur MLA and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) Chairman and Managing Director.
“The NHPC will generate electricity here and the KSEB will buy it from them. We plan to start construction before Onam,” said panchayat president C. Unnikrishnan. As per the agreement the new tariff is ₹3.04 a unit.
Through the project, power will be generated by placing floats over the water at Mundakapadam and affixing solar panels on them. The solar panels will be set up within 10 months and power generation is expected to begin within a year. A Chhattisgarh-based company will be handling the works, including the construction of sun station. While the panchayat owns around 100 acres of land, the rest belongs to farmers. In order to lease the land to the NHPC for a period of 25 years, West Kallada Non-Conventional Energy Promoters Pvt Ltd., that includes all land owners and government officials, was formed. “The panchayat took the initiative to form a company that includes around 400 property owners. The aim is to generate 50 MW electricity a day and the project is the first-of its-kind in the history of panchayats. The panchayat and the land owners will get 3% of the profit,” said the president.
Tourism destination
The West Kallada panchayat authorities are also planning to develop the area near the project site as a major tourism destination. “As part of the Destination Challenge of the Tourism department, we will be launching another elaborate project. We have around 500 acres of land and the NHPC requires only 340 acres. The rest will be used for tourism as we are expecting a lot of visitors. Initially water sports and boating will be introduced,” said Mr. Unnikrishnan.
