Andhra Pradesh gets India’s largest floating solar plant from BHEL

A complex module array has been designed that is capable of withstanding wind speeds up to 180 kph for the first time in India.

Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) announced on Thursday the successful commissioning of a 25 Megawatt (MW) floating solar plant at NTPC Simhadri in Andhra Pradesh, the largest one in the country.

The project covers an area of 100 acres. According to an official company release, the project will be more productive than traditional ground-mounted ones due to its cooling effect as well as its ability to reduce the evaporation of water by providing shade on the covered area.

Scope of work for the solar project included design, engineering, procurement, and construction.

Company officials in a press release claimed that an innovative floating array had been developed to help anchor the support structures without touching or loading the reservoir floor or bund structure.

A complex module array has been designed that is capable of withstanding wind speeds up to 180 kph for the first time in India. The release noted that all platform structures have been corrosion-resistant due to the project site’s coastal location, which results in severe corrosion.

As a result, BHEL has the largest portfolio of floating solar projects in the country, with over 45 MW projects commissioned and more than 107 MW under execution.

With an EPC portfolio of more than 1.2 GW, BHEL offers solutions for on-grid as well as off-grid, ground-mounted, rooftop, floating, and canal top solar plants. In addition, it manufactures space-grade solar panels and batteries for the space sector.

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