Puducherry takes big leap in clean energy; 20KW rooftop solar power project inaugurated at Legislative Assembly complex

Puducherry, November 1: Puducherry is going to be developed as a Pilot Solar City. In a first step towards it, Legislative Assembly Speaker V.P. Sivakolunthu today inaugurated its 20KW rooftop solar power project. 

The 20 KW solar plant will generate 100 units of power per day. The solar panels costing ₹11.32 lakh are mounted on to three buildings in the Legislative Assembly complex. They are expected to generate around 30,000 units of electricity every year and will reduce electricity bills by Rs. 1.68 lakh per year.

Under the Solar City Project, the Renewable Energy Agency of Puducherry (REAP) has entered into an agreement with an agency for installing roof-top panels on 22 government buildings. The project aims to generate 950 kWp of power per day from the panels which reduce power bills by ₹15 lakh per year. Puducherry will be developed as a Pilot Solar City. To start with, REAP has installed photovoltaic solar units of 1 to 30 kW capacity totalling 190 kW at a cost of ₹5 crore.

 

Under the first phase, REAP has installed solar panels at the Legislative Assembly, Chief Secretariat, electricity department, primary health centres in Lawspet, Muthialpet, Kalapet, Reddiyarpalyaam and Kosapalayam, in addition to 10 anganwadis and four government schools. Similarly, as many as 2,732 fluorescent tubes and over 1,000 ceilings fans in the buildings were substituted with more energy- efficient lighting. The power generated will be used within the premises. The buildings will supply power to the grid during holidays and claim a concession in their monthly electricity bills.