PM Modi Launches 110 MW Floating Solar Plant in MP, Boosts India's Solar Push

NEW DELHI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for a 110 MW floating solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. The project, coming up on the backwaters of the Omkareshwar Dam, is one of the largest floating solar installations in the country.

The plant is being developed by SJVN Green Energy Limited, a subsidiary of state-run SJVN. It is expected to generate about 196 million units of electricity annually, enough to power roughly 150,000 homes. The project also includes a battery energy storage system of 40 MWh to help stabilize the grid.

Officials said the floating solar array will reduce water evaporation from the dam and help conserve land. The project is slated for completion by early 2027.

More Solar Moves

In a separate development, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a tender for 1.2 GW of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar PV projects. The tender, released under Tranche-XIV, allows developers to set up projects anywhere in the country. Bids are due by October 15.

Meanwhile, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has sanctioned a loan of ₹4.5 billion to a private developer for a 300 MW solar project in Rajasthan. The project is expected to be operational by mid-2027.

On the manufacturing front, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has approved a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for high-efficiency solar modules. The scheme, with an outlay of ₹9,000 crore, aims to boost domestic manufacturing capacity by 10 GW. The move is seen as a step to reduce India's dependence on imported solar cells.

Industry experts welcomed the announcements. "The floating solar project is a good example of using our water bodies for clean energy," said a senior analyst at a Delhi-based consultancy. "The new tenders and PLI support will help maintain the momentum in solar deployment."

India's solar capacity currently stands at around 90 GW. The government has set a target of 280 GW by 2030.