Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 26 October 2024
Hon’ble Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Mr. Manohar Lal, arrived in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on a one-day visit on 25th October 2024.
During his tour, Mr. Lal visited NLC India Limited’s 20 MW Solar PV Plant, integrated with an 8 MWh/16 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Dollygunj. Accompanied by Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman, Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS, Secretary (Labour & Employment), Dr. Anil Agarwal, and Director (Power), Dr. Prashant Kumar, among other senior officials from the A&N Administration, NLC India Limited, and the Electricity Department, the Union Minister reviewed the plant’s power generation capacity and distribution framework.
The Executive Director of NLC India Limited’s Renewable Energy Projects, Mr. B. Anbuchelvan, briefed the Minister on the functioning of the solar plant and additional power projects by NLC in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He highlighted that the 20 MW Solar Plant, equipped with a Battery Energy Storage System, is India’s first megawatt-scale solar facility integrated with a battery storage unit. This system mitigates fluctuations in solar energy output caused by variable cloud cover, ensuring a more consistent power supply to the islands.
Following this, Mr. Manohar Lal inspected the 5 MW Solar PV Plant at Garacharma, developed by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and commissioned in March 2013. The Garacharma facility marks the NTPC and A&N Administration’s initial steps toward deploying renewable energy in the islands, aiming to promote sustainable socio-economic development and a greener energy footprint. Mr. Anil Shrivastava, Chief General Manager of NTPC, briefed the Minister on the plant’s operations and its impact on the island’s power infrastructure.
The Union Minister’s visit highlights the central government’s support for renewable energy growth in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, aligning with national objectives for sustainable development and reduced reliance on traditional energy sources.