Vizag gets another floating solar power project on Meghadrigedda.

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has commissioned the 3 MW floating solar power project on Meghadrigedda reservoir.

The Asian Development Bank has granted ₹14 crore ‘urban climate change resilience trust fund’ for this floating solar initiative under the ‘Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial corridor development programme’.

Being one of the major water sources of Visakhapatnam, Meghadrigedda supplies about 10 MGD water to the city. A Gurgaon-based private firm executed the project. The GVMC has already set up a 2 MW floating solar plant on the Mudasarlova reservoir located in the city, besides adopting the renewable energy mantra for several of its municipal schools, its main office, and other key offices in the city.

Besides being environment-friendly, the floating solar project reduces the demand for land and makes use of the unutilised surface area of the reservoir. The solar panels will also help in reducing the water evaporation from the reservoir to some extent.

GVMC commissioner G Lakshmisha said that the GVMC could save 12 acres of land by setting up the power project on the reservoir. “The project would reach its breakeven in just five years. While the annual generation of power would be 4.2 million units, it will reduce 3,220 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission and 54,000 tonnes of coal. The floats will automatically adjust to water level variations with the support of anchors,” said Lakshmisha.

ET