BANGALORE, 28 Nov 2011:Tata BP Solar India Ltd, a joint venture of Tata Power and BP Solar, is lighting up the lives of thousands in Darra Bhatha & Baitari Village, Tahsil Saraipalli, Mahasamund District in Chhattisgarh. This  megawatt scale solar power plant has been  installed and commissioned under the Rooftop and Other Small Solar Power Generation Plant scheme administered by IREDA under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). This prestigious project is owned and developed by M/s Singhal Forestry Private Limited.  The two megawatt plant was synchronised to the grid recently.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr K Subramanya, CEO, Tata BP Solar, said, “Solar Photovoltaic Technology is most versatile; it is techno-economically viable in all terrains and can make a significant impact on the day to day life of the local community as demonstrated here in Saraipalli. We are proud and happy that we are able to bring about this change.”

This project uses 8800 number of crystalline silicon modules of 230 Watts each spread out over an area of 10 acres. The solar power plant will generate 2.94 million units of electricity during its first year, which will meet the requirements of the villages in Chhatisgarh.

Furthermore, Tata BP Solar will also provide the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) services to the plant for the first 10 years after commissioning. The plant is designed by Tata BP Solar in such a way as to run for 25 years with minimal degradation in the power output over the long lifespan. Singhal Forestry Private Limited has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board for supply of this power to them.

Tata BP Solar has already executed MW projects in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Orissa, Delhi and is also executing further projects, which are in advanced stages, in the states of Jharkhand, Gujarat and Rajasthan. JNNSM is a flagship project of the Indian government to mainstream the use of solar energy.