N . Uttam Kumar Reddy,Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister of Telangana,urged officials to prioritize using irrigation lands,reservoirs,and canal systems for solar power . He wants department to shift from just executing projects to actively developing its own energy sources.
Reddy stressed solar projects on irrigation lands and canals should come first. State's energy costs for irrigation projects and lift schemes are high. By tapping solar and pumped storage,department could cut long-term power expenses and find more sustainable energy paths.
Officials encouraged to use their expertise or get help from external agencies to draft proposals quickly . Minister noted existing studies could speed up the process . “Solar projects on all available irrigation land should be first priority. Other revenue sources can be taken up later,” he stated .
Feasibility studies done at ~16 reservoirs . Using just 10% of suitable land could boost solar capacity by nearly 7,000 megawatts. Department tasked with working with Chief Engineers and nodal agencies to formulate clear plan for future.
Sites like Manjira and Singur considered for solar projects. Officials also presented a canal-based solar initiative under BOOT model, covering ~15 km between Jagora and Chandora. This project uses existing canal infrastructure, avoiding government capital investment or land acquisition.
Proposed system could support 20 megawatt solar installation,generating ~340 lakh units annually. Of this,around 84 lakh units would meet project’s needs,while surplus of ~255 lakh units could be sold,bringing ₹11.5 crore per year. Model also projects annual savings of ₹6.2 crore,totaling nearly ₹155 crore over 25 years.
This initiative aims to provide reliable power and water to ~8,000 acres,while also offering environmental benefits like renewable energy,canal cooling,and reduced evaporation…
