Bihar: Floating solar power plant to operationalise this month

PATNA, Bihar: A floating solar power plant is to be operationalised by the Energy Department in Supaul under the ‘Jal Jeevan Hariyali’ programme of the Government of Bihar. The decision was taken on the subject in an event organised at the Vidyut Bhawan, Patna, on the occasion of ‘Jal Jeevan Hariyali Mission Diwas’ on Tuesday, August 2.

While addressing the event, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Minister of Energy, Government of Bihar, noted that the ‘Jal Jeevan Hariyali’ mission, launched by the Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar, has yielded unprecedented results. It was launched in 2019, and it includes 15 departments of the state government under its ambit.

Sanjeev Hans, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited (BSPHCL), highlighted that the organisation is taking steps to install a 30 MW capacity solar power plant at Durgawati Dam in Rohtas and a plant of 20 MW capacity at Phulwaria. He later added, “A floating solar power plant will start generating power in Supaul from this month. SJVN is carrying out a survey for setting up pump storage facility at Durgawati dam and 400-450 MW renewal energy plants at Kajra and Pirpainty.” Hans also said that the Energy Department is working alongside the Transport Department to set up charging stations in the state.

Rahul Kumar, Mission Director of ‘Jal Jeevan Hariyali’, revealed that solar installations are being set up at the premises of government institutions on an experimental basis. He added, “Under a novel experiment, solar installations are being set in government buildings. Solar installations would be set up in 2000 government buildings in the first phase. In the second phase, 8000 government buildings and more than 3000 private houses will be covered.”

Prabhakar, Managing Director, North Bihar Distribution Company Limited, highlighted that the department has introduced the Suvidha App and Bijli Smart Meter App for the convenience of the consumers. The Suvidha App will eliminate the errors in billing, while the Smart Meter App will provide better services to the smart prepaid meter (SPM) consumers.

 Mahendra Kumar, Managing Director, South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited, said, “More than 9.50 lakh SPMs have been installed in Bihar so far. We are now focusing on rural areas.”