In a historic milestone for Lakshadweep, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation on January 3, 2024, the solar power plant at Kavaratti, which is the region's first on-grid solar project with state-of-the-art Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) technology. Together, these two installations of Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) have a combined solar capacity of 1.7 MW and an advanced 1.4 MWh battery storage facility.

Hon'ble PM Sh. Narendra Modi inaugurates Lakshadweep's 1st On-Grid Solar Project with Cutting-Edge Battery Storage at Kavaratti & Agatti. Developed by SECI, boasting 1.7 MW solar capacity & 1.4 MWh battery storage. A leap towards sustainable energy! #GreenLakshadweep pic.twitter.com/IvCsIRxvPr

— SECI (@SECI_Ltd) January 3, 2024

A matter of monumental stride towards sustainable energy solutions for the archipelago, the solar power plant will help reduce dependency on the Diesel-based Power Generation plant at Kavaratti. The Lakshadweep Energy Development Agency (LEDA) will now harness power from these solar plants, marking a pivotal shift from diesel-based power to a sustainable, eco-friendly energy source for the region.

Over the anticipated technical lifespan, the initiative is projected to yield commercial savings of approximately Rs. 250 crores. The substantial reduction of diesel consumption by up to 190 lakh litres and the offsetting of 58,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions underscore its profound significance in promoting green energy and fostering a cleaner and more sustainable future for Lakshadweep.

The Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) expertise for the project has been provided by SunSource Energy.

Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Unit under the administrative control of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, is engaged in promotion and development of various renewable energy resources, especially Solar and Wind energy, renewable energy (RE) - based storage systems, trading of power, R&D as well as RE-based products like Green Hydrogen, Green Ammonia and RE-powered electric vehicles.

The company is one of the nodal agencies for implementation of a number of schemes of MNRE. The company also has a Category 1 power trading license and is active in this domain through trading of Solar/Wind/Hybrid/RTC/BSES power from projects set up under the schemes being implemented by it.

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PIB DELHI | Alok Mishra / Dheep Joy Mampilly