Chandigarh to launch India’s largest floating solar power plant in Sector 39, ET EnergyWorld

The Chandigarh administration’s push for green energy continues with a major floating solar power plant of 4-megawatt (MW) capacity set to come up in the coming financial year. The plant will be located in Sector 39 water works and will be the largest in north India. It is part of the UT plan to have 8 MWp projects in 2025-26. The project is estimated to cost around ₹24 crore. Crest (Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society), UT, will implement the project.

The floating solar plants, in addition to generating renewable energy, also help in saving water by restricting the loss of water through evaporation. At present, the city has three floating solar power plants, with a total capacity of 5 MWp. An additional largest floating solar power plant of 3 MWp capacity is also ready for energisation and is expected to be energised before March 31, 2025.

The total installed capacity of solar power plants in Chandigarh is 89.689 MWp, spread across 10,234 govt and private buildings till February 2024. ‘UT is first in the country in covering all the govt buildings, including residential and office buildings, with rooftop solar power plants. These buildings now have a combined capacity of 52.852 kWp.

The UT is also examining other potential locations for installing solar power plants to expand the renewable energy network in the city, which include large parks and cycle tracks. Saurabh Kumar, Director, Department of Environment, said, ‘We are undertaking feasibility studies for installing solar power plants in parks and on cycle tracks. We will be ensuring that the plants in such locations are financially viable and in sync with the surrounding aesthetics. Other aspects like ease of maintainability are also being examined.’

The city has around 200 km length of cycle tracks. Even though not all areas on the cycle tracks are feasible for installing solar power plants, many areas have the potential for installation. Similarly, large parks also have the potential for generating solar energy.

• Published On Mar 28, 2025 at 11:56 AM IST

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