TIRUPATI: In order to reduce mounting power bills, the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) focuses on solar power. Already, the civic body has a 4 megawatts floating solar power plant at Kailasagiri reservoir.
Now, construction of another solar power plant is nearing completion at Thukivakam near Renigunta. The project has taken up under Smart City funds. Solar power plant at Thukivakam was coming up on 28 acres of land. Energy Systems Limited has prepared solar panels with a cost of Rs 24.5 crore to generate 6 megawatts of power. The project is aimed at generating 24,000 units of power a day. The company is expected to complete the works before the end of November.
The MCT has entrusted the maintenance of the solar power project to the company for 10 years. The MCT has 4 mega watt power with floating solar power generation system in Kailasagiri reservoir near Srikalahasti town in Chittoor district. The solar power project was constructed with a cost of Rs 12 crore to reduce the power bills due to pumping of water from the Kailasagiri reservoir to Tirupati. “The main aim of solar power generation is to reduce electricity charges in the civic body limits. Now, the civic body has been paying Rs 15 crore as power bills. A total of Rs 12 crore will be saved with the solar power generation,” said Municipal Commissioner P S Girisha.
Thukivakam plant
28 acres of land for solar power plant at Thukivakam
Rs 24.5 crore cost of the 6 megawatts project
24,000 units of power to be generated a day