HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) is set to install ground-mounted solar power plants at four pump houses in coordination with the Telangana Renewable Energy Development Corporation Limited (TGREDCO).
The project aims to tap solar energy and reduce electricity bills associated with pumping water to the city from far-off sources.
The pump houses identified for the project are Murmur in Ramagundam/Peddapalli (60 acres), Mallaram in Chinna Kodur, Siddipet (80 acres), Kondapaka in Kondapak (100 acres) and Peddapur in Patancheru, Medak (50 acres). Ground-mounted solar plants involve direct installation of solar panels on the ground, offering scalability and higher energy production than rooftop systems.
TGREDCO has invited proposals from agencies for conducting site surveys and preparing detailed project reports (DPR) on the feasibility of installing the solar plants at these locations under the Capital Expenditures (CAPEX) model. The selected agency will be responsible for site evaluation and DPR preparation.
The solar power plants will supply electricity to a single feeder or multiple feeders at 6.6 kV or higher voltage levels from a distribution substation, based on land availability and technical feasibility. There is no fixed capacity limit for these plants, as feeder-level solarisation will be governed by guidelines from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
The project scope includes procurement and installation of 6.6 kV power lines from the solar generation plant to the substation, construction of a bay, installation of switchgear at the substation and metering equipment at 6.6/33/132 kV substations. An online monitoring system will track solar power generation, with data integrated into a central monitoring portal.