North India's largest floating solar project commissioned in Omkareshwar

The largest floating solar project in central and north India generating 90 MW energy has been commissioned at Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, a state minister has said.

The Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project, costing Rs 646-crore, was commissioned on August 8, state Renewable Energy Minister Rakesh Shukla said in a statement. This project was developed under the Union Ministry of Renewable Energy and it is the biggest solar park in India and largest floating solar project in central and north India, he said. The project is executed by SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of SJVN, the minister said, adding that on the commissioning of the project, the total installed capacity of SJVN has increased to 2466.50 MW.

The project is likely to generate 196.5 million units of electricity in the first year and 4,629.3 million units in the 25 years, he said.

After commissioning, the project will reduce carbon emissions by 2.3 lakh tonnes and contribute significantly to the central government's mission of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2070, he added. According to Shukla, the project will also help in water conservation by reducing water evaporation. The project has been developed through competitive tariff bidding on Build Own and Operate basis for 25 years at a rate of Rs 3.26 per unit, he said.

The floating power plant was developed on the backwaters of Omkareshwar dam.