COIMBATORE: Coimbatore took another significant step towards sustainable urban development on Wednesday with the inauguration of a 154-kW floating solar power plant at Ukkadam Periyakulam's southern bund.
The project, valued at Rs 1.45 crore under the Namakku Naame scheme, was launched by Coimbatore MP Ganapathy P Rajkumar in the presence of Mayor K Ranganayaki and Corporation Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran.
To strengthen civic infrastructure across all five zones of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), multiple developmental projects are being executed across the city. The newly inaugurated solar installation marks a major milestone for the South Zone.
Spread across approximately 13.7 cents of water surface, the plant comprises 280 high-efficiency solar panels. It is expected to generate an average of 693 units of electricity per day (154 kW × 4.5 units), contributing clean energy to the local grid. The project has been jointly funded by the Tamil Nadu Government and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, each contributing Rs 72.5 lakh.
Beyond power generation, the floating facility has been equipped with a range of modern infrastructure features, including CCTV surveillance, lightning arresters, electric lighting, firefighting systems, climate monitoring sensors, safety fencing, and an automated water-spray mechanism for panel cleaning, ensuring efficient and secure operation.
Several dignitaries, including Deputy Mayor R Vetriselvan, TANGEDCO Chief Engineer Suresh Kumar, Senior Engineer Satheesh Kumar, Finance and Taxation Committee Chairperson VB Mubasheera, councillors, engineers, and representatives from Reliant Global Green Energy & Co., were present during the event.
Officials noted that this is the second such plant in the city installed by the civic body after a similar facility was established on the Kurichi Lake a few months ago.