Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu to Set Up a 500MW Solar Power Plant

A subsidy of Rs 20 Lakh is allotted for every MW of generated capacity set up within the park.

Tangedco has received the approval from the centre for setting up a 500 MW solar park in the district of Ramanathapuram. The project is sighted to be the country’s first set up to be built government-owned power distribution-company. Earlier this year the state government has announced to set up a solar park in Ramanathapuram district during the assembly.

A senior Tangedco official said during an interview “Following the government announcement, we approached the Centre seeking permission to set up a solar park as it entails subsidy from the Centre. Any solar park will have to have a minimum of 500MW capacity. As we fulfill the basic criteria, the Centre has given its approval.”

A subsidy of Rs 20 Lakh is allotted for every MW of generated capacity set up within the park. “The subsidy will be used to improve infrastructure like roads to the project site, set up a sub-station and transmission lines to evacuate the power generated by the park,” he added.

Ramanathapuram district’s coastal town, Naripaiyur village in Kadaladi, has been identified as the project site for the proposed solar park. “We had planned a thermal plant in Kadaladi, where we have acquired enough land. We need 1,500 acres for the solar park and most of it has been acquired. Apart from Tangedco setting up 500MW, the solar park can be extended to accommodate private companies,” the official mentioned.

The plant is slated to be commissioned in 2019 and will help crossing the 3,000MW of total solar power generation in Ramanathapuram. “Already we have Adani’s solar power plant with a total capacity of 648MW in Kamudhi. This year’s solar power auction will add another 1,500MW and NLC and a few others are also setting up new solar plants,” the official added.

Tamil Nadu has three districts having the maximum solar radiation and they are Ramanthapuram, Sivaganga and Tuticorin. “As per Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA), Ramanathapuram has 5.67 Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) and due to this the plant load factor (PLF) is high,” the official said.

The Ramanathapuram district is seeking for exemption of 3 percent as of (TNERC) Tamil Nadu Energy Regulatory Commission norms against the fixed 19 percent PLF per MW. Currently Ramanathapuram pays 22 percent PLF per MW.

Source:  ET Energy world