Uttar Pradesh Planning 1 GW Floating Solar PV Plant

• UPNEDA says UP has close to 125 solar energy projects in the pipeline, including a 1 GW floating solar plant 
• The INR 65 billion floating PV plant is being planned to come up on the Matatila Dam in Lalitpur district 
• Its current operational solar PV capacity stands at 2.15 GW, which is an increase from 279 MW in 2017, with aims to expand to 22 GW by 2026-27 

The State of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in India currently has close to 125 solar energy projects for an estimated outlay of INR 1 trillion ($12 billion) in the pipeline, according to the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA). The agency expects UP to soon emerge as the solar energy hub of India. 

The Director (IAS) of UPNEDA, Anupam Shukla shared that these projects include a 1 GW floating solar power plant on the Matatila Dam in Lalitpur district. It is to be built for an estimated investment worth INR 65 billion ($782 million) by TUSCO Ltd. The latter is a joint venture (JV) between UPNEDA and THDC India Limited (THDCIL), set up to develop 2 GW of Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks (UMREPP) in UP. 

TUSCO recently broke ground on the 800 MW Chitrakoot Solar Power Park Project with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone. 

Additionally, the Bundelkhand Solar Energy Limited will establish a 1.2 GW solar power park in Jalaun district. Another 50 MW floating solar plant is planned by the state government in Bhakhira Bird Sanctuary, while another ground-mounted or a floating solar plant in Bakhira Lake area is in the offing. 

According to a 2023 study commissioned by UPNEDA, Vasudha Foundation deduced that UP holds a technical potential of installing 9.54 GW to 14.32 GW of floating PV projects using 20% to 30% of water coverage area of the available water bodies in the state. 

Among the state's other solar energy plans, it plans to energize all 1,994 cold storages with a total capacity of 1.65 crore metric tonnes (MT) with solar energy. Another 40 MW solar plant is being established in Ayodhya city by the NTPC, which will be operational by March 2024. 

According to Shukla, "The State currently generates close to 2152 MW of solar energy, out of which 372 MW is in open access. Bundelkhand region has witnessed the maximum number of solar plants amounting to nearly 60% of the total solar energy generated in the State." 

The state is also turning the 296-km long Bundelkhand Expressway as the state's 1st solar expressway with 550 MW PV capacity (see Indian Expressway Planned To Host 550 MW Solar).  

UPNEDA attributes the growth of the state's solar energy generation from 279 MW in 2017 to incentives, rebates, concessions and promotions offered by its solar policy under which UP targets to install 22 GW solar PV capacity by 2026-27 through utility-scale, residential and non-residential rooftop solar.