Tangedco to set up rooftop solar plants at substations

The discom has floated bids to set up LT grid-connected rooftop solar power plant in 10 substations in four districts with a cumulative capacity of 190 kilo watt.

Tangedco has proposed to set up 85 KW rooftop solar power plant in Tirunelveli region. It plans to set up 42 KW solar plant at Pudhur substation, Udayathur SS (20 KW), Anuppankulam SS (19 KW) and Nallamanaickanpatti SS (4 KW). In Tiruvannamalai, 15 KW rooftop solar plant each would be set up at Echur, Arni and Tiruvannamalai substations. A 30 KW solar plant would be set up at Cuddalore SS, while 15 KW plants would come up at Ulundurpet and Villupuram substations.

Tangedco headquarters already has a 60 KW rooftop solar power plant. A senior official pointed out that solar power was the cheapest and environment friendly. “The rooftops in the substations and other buildings were largely unused. Setting up rooftop plants would help the State reach the target set by the Centre to achieve solar generation by 2022,” the official said, adding that most of the power generated by the rooftop plants would be consumed by the office functioning in the substation, while the excess would be supplied to the grid. “A one KW capacity solar plant will generate five units a day and the State getting 300 sunny days in a year,” the official noted.

Also, Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, as a Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO), would install solar rooftops in buildings owned by the government, local bodies and public sector undertakings, and operate and maintain them for 25 years under the RESCO model.