SCCL Planning to set up 500 MW Floating Solar Plants in Telengana

SCCL is planning to set up floating solar PV power plants on water bodies in the state of Telangana, with a combined generational capacity of 500 MW.

Government-owned coal mining company – Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has announced that it is planning to set up floating solar PV power plants on water bodies in the state of Telangana, with the support of the Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation. The proposed plants will have a combined generational capacity of 500 MW, an official release from the state-owned coal miner has revealed.

The state renewable energy corporation i.e. TSREDC has taken up the feasibility study for erecting floating solar power plants on large water bodies and the department officials gave a presentation to SCCL CMDN Sridhar, according to the release.

“With SCCL ready to undertake the construction of floating solar power plants, discussions were on the subject of whether everything should be at one place or in 5 phases of 100 MW each,” the SCCL said.

They discussed the opportunities available on the water bodies situated at Karimnagar, Warangal and other districts, it said. SCCL currently has solar power plants in 11 areas in the state and looking to expand its footprints.

Since March when they were first tendered by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), three tenders for the development of ground-mounted and floating solar projects for SCCL have seen multiple deadline extensions.

The project tenders include the development of a 34 MW (AC) ground-based solar PV power plant,  a 32 MW (AC) OB Dump based solar PV power project, and 15 MW (AC) floating solar PV power plant for different packages at SCCL, Telangana.

These days many tenderers face multiple deadline extensions. Thus, in order to get more insights on what are the possible reasons for such extensions, we had talked to a solar EPC developer. According to him, “this might be a combination of under-prepared tender documents or lack of technical feasibility done prior to tendering due to which low response is received. The lockdown imposed during for COVID-19 did make it difficult for a few EPC and developers to prepare appropriately, so we are glad that many tenderers have taken this into advisement. Still, however, there are a few larger tenders that have been re-tendered and postponed due to lack of effective document formulation, which is a time-consuming process for all stakeholders involved.”