BMC to Purchase Power from Hybrid Solar Plant at Maha Dam

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on power generation and purchase from the proposed hybrid solar power plant at Balasaheb Thackeray Middle Vaitarna Dam, located in Maharashtra, on Sunday, according to recent media reports. The tender for the floating plant was issued in November 2020.  With a 31 month period for completion post award.

Under the project, 100 megawatt (MW) electricity will be generated. While the hydroelectric power plant, which has long been in planning, will have a capacity of 20 MW, the floating solar photovoltaic power plant can generate as much as 80 MW.

The project will take 31 months to complete. The civic body has planned to augment the power supply in its water supply filtration plants, which is expected to help it in saving about Rs 25 crore annually on power bills.

The MoU was signed between the BMC and Vaitarna Solar Hydro Power Genco Private Limited, a joint venture of Mahalaxmi Konal Urja Private Limited and Shapoorji Pallonji & Company Limited, in the presence of state Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray. The civic body will procure the electricity at the rate of Rs 5.3 per kilowatt for the next 25 years.

“The project is BMC’s step towards carbon neutrality and harnessing renewable energy as the plant will reduce dependency on fossil fuels,” said Thackeray.

“This adds yet another milestone in the progressive vision of BMC dedicated to the pro-earth development of Mumbai,” he said.

Thakeray took to Twitter yesterday to list the following key aims of the proposed plant:

• Generation of hybrid energy through 20mw hydro & 80 mw floating solar sources
• Generation of 208 million units of energy
• Annual savings of ₹23 to 25 crores/year
• Daily savings of 15-25 million liters of water per day
• Major step towards carbon neutrality

In February 2021, the corporation’s Standing Committee had cleared a proposal for the construction of hybrid solar plants. The BMC will not have to spend money on setting up solar plants as the company finalised for construction will bear the cost and then sell the electricity.