Madhya Pradesh government plans floating solar power plant on Indira Sagar Dam

In a bid to produce green energy, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to set up a 1,000 mega-watt floating solar power plant on the Indira Sagar Dam in Khandwa district, an official said on Thursday.

At present, the state is meeting one-fourth of its power requirements through renewable energy, he said.

"We have initiated a proposal to set up a 1,000 MW floating solar power project at the Indira Sagar reservoir in Khandwa," the state renewable energy department's principal secretary, Manu Shrivastava said.

The project cost is estimated at Rs 5 crore for each megawatt, Shrivastava said, adding that talks are on with those interested in setting up solar power plants.

The power plant will be set up at a floating platform on the reservoir, reducing the cost of acquiring land for it, an official from the public relations department said.

The government is trying to enhance power generation through renewable sources available in the state, he said.

As of September 2019, the state produced 2,071 MW using solar power, 2,444 MW from wind power, 117 MW from biomass power and 96 MW from small hydro power plants, the official added.