TPREL Commissions 126 MW Floating PV Project At Omkareshwar

Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL), Tata Power’s renewable energy subsidiary, today announced the formal commissioning of the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project of 126 MW capacity. The EPC contract for this project worth Rs. 596 crore was awarded by NHDC, a joint venture of NHPC Ltd and Madhya Pradesh government to TPREL. The project vaults to the top of the floating solar projects by size in India straightaway. The Omkareshwar reservoir is expected to have floating solar projects worth almost 500 MW in due course, with SJVN  already commissioning a 90 MW project earlier.

Located in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project supplies sustainable power to the Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company Limited (MPPTCL). Uniquely positioned between the Indirasagar and Omkareshwar hydroelectric reservoirs, this innovative project has overcome complex environmental and logistical challenges—such as fluctuating water levels, high winds, and limited site access—reaching successful completion within just 26 months.

The project features 213,460 bifacial glass-to-glass modules, generating 204,580 MWh of energy annually while offsetting 173,893 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. To ensure stability and operational efficiency, the installation incorporates cutting-edge engineering solutions such as robust mooring systems, wave breakers, ballast anchors, and adaptive cableways. Additionally, it hosts the world’s largest inverter floating platform, covering 260 hectares of water body area —a new global benchmark in floating solar technology. Beyond carbon reduction, the project conserves an estimated 32.5 million cubic meters of water annually by minimizing reservoir evaporation, according to the developer.

Deepesh Nanda, CEO and Managing Director at Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited, said, “We are delighted to set a new benchmark with one of the largest floating solar installations in the country, showcasing how innovative engineering can address environmental challenges. This project is a powerful example of how we can harness renewable resources to drive substantial carbon reduction while optimizing the use of our precious land and water resources.”

Rajeev Jain, Managing Director, NHDC Limited stated, “By partnering with Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited on this project, we have demonstrated that floating solar technology can provide clean energy while preserving vital water resources.”

With this achievement, TPREL’s total renewable energy capacity now stands at 10.9 GW with 5.6 GW of projects in various stages of implementation. Its operational capacity has reached 5.3GW, comprising 4.3 GW of solar and 1 GW of wind energy projects.

The success of the Omkareshwar project will be a fillip not just to TPREL’s other project ambitions in the floating solar space, but also the broader ecosystem. It should be noted that the project faced its share of challenges that caused some delays, and intense work at the backend to find solutions to stabilise the system during higher wind speeds etc. Floating solar remains a critical piece of the solar puzzle for India and its targets for 2030, and in some regions like East India with limited land availability, even more so.