Bengaluru’s first floating solar park drifts without bidders since 2022
Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) planned to harness solar power at its Yelahanka Combined Cycle Power Plant (YCCPP) in June 2022, claiming it would be Bengaluru's first floating solar photovoltaic (FSPV) power plant.
But energy department sources say that till date, none have agreed to implement the project, causing officials to reconsider the proposal. While the latest proposal is a collaborative effort between Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL) and the civic agency's climate action cell, with approval from Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA), the Yelahanka project was solely proposed by KPCL. The power coporation planned to build a state-of-the-art floating solar park at its 6-acre raw water pond at YCCPP. It hoped to generate 1.1Mw of power daily. With temperatures varying between 10°C to 39°C, KPCL planned the plant on three-acres. KPCL engineers calculated about 3,700 sunny hours and generation of 2.6 million units annually. Since the project site is in the vicinity of Kempegowda International Airport, KPCL laid down the condition that the solar panels must have anti-glare properties. Acknowledging that KPCL hasn't received any bids, a senior official from the energy department told TOI this is largely because of the project's limited capacity. "While we planned to generate about 1.1Mw, many potential bidders found it was unviable economically," the official said. "However, given our infrastructure, we could only afford a 1.1Mw plant. We will now decide on whether to pursue the project." Meanwhile, engineers at KTCDA reveal KREDL and the civic agency want to use only 10% of the lakes' total area. "Rachenahalli lake is spread over 105 acres and Doddabommasandra lake over 124 acres. Collectively, both lakes can generate about 20Mw. But to begin with, we're only targeting the generation of 1Mw," an engineer said. This isn't the first time Karnataka is facing hurdles in setting up a floating solar park. Previously, the govt's move to establish Karnataka's first floating solar power park at Bugudanahalli lake on the outskirts of Tumakuru city, under the ambitious centrally funded Smart City project, also met with a poor response. The Rs 7.7-crore floating solar park at Tumakuru was supposed to generate about 20Mw. However, with no guarantee of water availability in the tank throughout the year, the project lost momentum and was shelved.
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