HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is proposing to install grid-connected rooftop solar power generating plants on its office buildings to cut down on its electricity charges.
The GHMC will invite Expression of Interest cum Request for Proposal for taking up the project.
A tentative survey was conducted for installation of solar plants on GHMC buildings like zonal and circle offices, sports complexes, market yards, community halls, slaughter houses and other places. The survey said there is a possibility of generating more than 10 MW solar power.
The average cost to install a grid is around `80 per watt or `8 crore per one MW and total cost of 11 MW would be around `88 crore, according to officials. There is a provision of Central financial assistance of 15 per cent of the total cost or `12 per watt or `1.2 crore per MW under the grid- connected rooftop and small solar power plants programme of the Central government. There is also a provision of concessional import duty, excise duty exemption accelerated depreciation and tax holiday for setting up of grid connected rooftop solar power plants.
The grid-connected rooftop system will provide net metering and the current consumption charges is to be paid as per the reading, ie, excess utilisation than generation, amount will be paid for the difference of units. As per the study about 1.4 million units per annum can be generated from 1 MW. GHMC is considering three different models, solar installation owned by GHMC or solar installation owned, operate and maintained by third party (private agency), build operate and transfer (BOOT) model.