Naidu inaugurates 2 MW floating solar power plant.

In what could be termed as a giant leap towards generating power in eco-friendly way, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu recently inaugurated a 2 MW floating solar power plant built on Mudasarlova reservoir.

The power plant envisages saving the burning of 1,540 tonnes of coal a year and release of 300 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

As part of the ‘Smart City’ initiative, the solar power plant was built in 20 acres of the reservoir, among the oldest man-made water bodies, on the outskirts of the city, at a cost of ₹11.34 crore. The works were executed by DES Engineers of Hyderabad under the supervision of AECOM, consultants for the Smart City projects. The works for the plant began in May this year and prior to it, the reservoir was de-silted at a cost of ₹ 20 lakh.

As part of the project, solar panels have been installed on bases that floats on water. The bases have bed-like structure at the bottom so that when the water dries up, the panels don’t get damaged.

During his hectic day-long visit to the city, the Chief Minister, after participating in the 'Jnanabheri' programme at Andhra University, laid foundation stones for seven other 'Smart City' projects worth ₹368.14 crore.

THE HINDU