DPR for Solar City Project by Aug

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Kochi Solar City project is expected to be submitted by the end of August.

According to a high-level Corporation official, the agency - International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)- which has been entrusted with preparing the project’s DPR, had recently asked for three months additional time for its preparation, which will end by next month.

The Solar City project mainly aims at installing solar energy systems to power streetlights, garden lights, households, hotels and restaurants and major administrative offices, thereby making Kochi the first solar city of the state.

The Solar City project is being launched as part of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) plan to develop 60 solar cities in India. 'The data collection for the project is a tough job as the agency that prepares the DPR will have to collect the details of electricity consumption of the industrial units, business establishments, domestic households and government offices in the city.

The agency, ICLEI, had asked for three months additional time for the preparation of the DPR, which will end by July. We hope that they will submit the DPR at least by August end,' said Kochi Corporation Town Planning Committee chairman K J Sohan.

The New Indian Express