SECI commissions India’s 2nd largest Grid connected Rooftop solar PV Power Plant.

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has commissioned India’s second largest rooftop solar PV power plant at GAIL’s Petro chemical complex at Pata, Uttar Pradesh. The 5.76 MWp (Mega Watt peak) Solar plant is spread over the roofs of two Warehouses measuring 500 mtrx65 mtr each. It would generate about 79,30,000 units of electricity per annum for GAIL’s captive use. The plant is expected to reduce approximately 6,000 tons per annum of Carbon dioxide Emission, and contribute towards India’s goals under COP 21, commitment.

GAIL, India’s largest state-owned natural gas processing and distribution company, is one of the Government’s Maharatna PSUs. Shri. BC Tripathi, CMD of GAIL, says “GAIL as a marketer of benign fuel is thrilled to integrate captive solar PV towards achieving lower carbon footprint at our major installation” The responsibility to manage the entire project was entrusted to Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited, (SECI), a PSU under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, GoI to focus on this sunrise sector. SECI effectively executed Project Management Consultancy (PMC) for this project, says Shri Jatindra Nath Swain (IAS), Managing Director, SECI,

“SECI being the PMC for this project is committed to provide its best services towards Designing, Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning of the project including its quality assurance to make it India’s best Rooftop Installation.”

Earlier, in Jan 2017, award for Turnkey execution of the project including 5 years of O&M was placed on M/s Thermax Limited selected by open competitive bidding process by SECI. Shri. M.S. Unnikrishnan, MD and CEO of Thermax, says “As a service provider committed to providing sustainable solutions to industry, it is a privilege for Thermax to partner GAIL in clean energy initiatives.”

SECI is committed to play a major role in achievement of 175 GW of Renewable Energy by 2022 and has recently come out with bids for 2 GW of ISTS- connected Wind Power and ISTS- connected Solar Power each. In the remaining months of this financial year and in 2018-19 more such tendering of Renewable Energy Capacities are expected.

The payback period of the GAIL Solar Project is about four years, indicative that Solar Power is no longer a high cost alternative, but eminently affordable for producers & consumers.