20 MWp Solar Power Plant with Battery Commissioned on 30th June at Attampahad and Dollygunj
Port Blair: Ministry of New and Renewable sources of Energy, MNRE has allocated 47.5 MWp capacity of Solar power plants at various locations in A & N islands under the program – , GREENING OF THE ISLANDS. As a partial fulfillment of this program, NLC India Ltd., a Navratna enterprise of Govt. of India was entrusted with the establishment of 20 MWp Solar power plant at Attampahad and Dollygunj. The total project cost is around Rs.130. 77 Crores of which 40% viability gap funding has been provided by MNRE .
This Solar power plant is one of its kind in India, integrated with 8 Megawatt hour Battery Energy Storage System(BESS) for smoothening the Solar power export to the grid. This is largest battery bank in India for catering the variation in solar insolation. The entire project has been accommodated in two locations, one at Attampahad and other at Dollygunj, each of capacity 10 MWp (AC). The expected power output from the plant is 20 MWp (AC) and generation would be 26 MU annually during the initial years. The power would be fed to the electricity grid and the levelized tariff for the units received is expected to be Rs.6.65 per unit.
The power plant was partly commissioned on December,2018. The equipment testing works were completed and pre-commissioning activities had started in mid-June 2020. Thereafter the plant was commissioned in blocks of 5 MWp with equivalent BESS from 25th June onwards. and has been full commissioned with equivalent battery on 30 th June 2020. With the full commissioning of this 20 MWp Power Plant, substantial portion of the day peak requirement of Port Blair & South Andaman will be met through solar power.
This power plant from 1st July 2020 onwards is delivering full power to the grid during the day time, as per the availability of solar isolation. This will bring down the annual diesel consumption by approximately 5000 KL thereby causing a saving of approximately Rs. 20 crores to 25 crores annually to the Govt. exchequer and also shall reduce the carbon footprint in these islands. This saving can be diverted towards other developmental activities, which shall open up new opportunities under holistic reforms for these islands.
One major milestone under the initiative of Greening of the islands has been achieved by commissioning of this Megawatt sized Solar power plant of capacity 20 MWp in these islands. This megawatt sized solar power plant with battery has travelled a long journey to reach this stage and is like a dream come true for the islanders who have been longing for renewable power. andamanchronicle
