Plans for a Solar Power Project to Reduce Municipal Electricity Costs Proposal to Set Up a 1-Megawatt Solar Plant in Two Phases: District Collector Dr. R. Mahesh Kumar

SRINIVAS SPL Correspondant 
Amalapuram: Indian News Times :District Collector Dr. R. Mahesh Kumar has directed officials to take measures to implement a solar power project aimed at reducing electricity costs and increasing the use of renewable energy within the municipality.

On Tuesday, the Collector held a review meeting at his chamber in the Collectorate with municipal officials regarding electricity consumption for services such as drinking water pumping systems, street lighting, and municipal offices. Officials informed the Collector that approximately one lakh units of electricity are consumed monthly across 288 connections within the municipality. Given the monthly expenditure of around ₹11 lakh on electricity charges, a proposal was made to implement a 1-megawatt solar power project in two phases to alleviate this financial burden. For the first phase, officials proposed setting up a 500-kilowatt solar power plant at the Nadipudi Raw Water Works, taking site constraints into account. They estimated the project cost at approximately ₹4.50 crore. The Collector reviewed the proposal to secure 75 percent of the project cost—approximately ₹3.60 crore—through a bank loan.  They were advised to thoroughly examine factors such as the loan interest rate, tenure, and monthly installments, and to make a decision that is financially beneficial to the municipality.
It was decided to achieve a total capacity of 1 megawatt by installing an additional 500-kilowatt solar power system on government buildings and municipal assets during the second phase.

Officials explained that a solar power capacity of up to 516 kilowatts could be achieved using approximately 1,700 square meters of rooftop area identified within the municipal office premises. The Collector directed that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the second phase be prepared and submitted for administrative approval. He instructed that the DPR comprehensively include details such as project cost, power generation, energy savings, maintenance costs, and the financing model. The Collector emphasized the need to thoroughly assess the project's financial viability to ensure long-term reductions in electricity costs for the municipality. He also ordered strict adherence to the regulations and technical and safety standards prescribed by the Electricity Department, DISCOM, and APERC.
The District Collector directed officials to effectively implement the project, aiming to reduce the electricity cost burden on the municipality by increasing solar power generation while simultaneously promoting the use of renewable energy in government buildings.  Amalapuram Municipal Commissioner Nirmal Kumar, APEPDCL EE K. Rambabu, Solar Ostrich CEO Rajesh, Union Bank of India CM K. Pruthviraj, Andhra Pradesh Grameena Bank's B. Pavan Kumar, and Information and Public Relations Department Officer Ch. Srinivas, among others, participated in this meeting.