One of the leading solar manufacturers in the world and one of India’s largest specialized EPC players, Tata Power Solar has launched India’s largest floating solar power project in Kerala’s backwaters. Installed at a capacity of 101.6 Megawatt Peak (MWp), the solar power project is established on a 350-acre water body in Kayamkulam, Kerala. Here is a detailed report on SURFACES REPORTER (SR).
Tata Power completed the project within the allotted time despite fluctuation in water depths, strong sea tides and water salinity concerns during the construction phase. Reportedly, the Kayamkulam floating solar power plant’s large-scale installation and commissioning was the fastest in the Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) category. Additionally, it is the first in the FSPV through power purchase arrangement category. Through this agreement, which has been signed with a PSU client, the entire power generated from this plant will be used by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).
A scaffolding platform had to be constructed on the water body to make the solar plant effortlessly float on water. The solar plant includes a platform for floating inverters with a 5 Megawatt (MW) capacity. 134 cast pile foundations are bored to a depth of 20 m underwater to anchor the project. These cast piles also support the Central Monitoring and Control Stations (CMCS) and the 33/220 kilovolts switchyard. The underwater soil strata dredging and high groundwater levels both serve as a barrier.
Image credits: The Hindu