Lucknow: A 20 MW floating solar power plant will be set up at Chilua Tal in Gorakhpur as part of the city’s solar city drive, with Coal India Limited (CIL) designated to implement the project on roughly 80–150 acres of water surface in Sadar tehsil. Power generated will be supplied to the grid to help meet local demand. The proposal was cleared by the Uttar Pradesh state cabinet on Monday as part of its broader strategy to promote solar energy and reduce dependence on conventional power. Under the solar city framework defined by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Gorakhpur aims to meet at least 10% of its projected energy demand equivalent to 121.8 million units through renewable energy and efficiency measures. The floating solar plant will be developed near Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) in Sadar tehsil, utilising around 80 acres of water-covered area at Chilua Tal. Land under the tourism department, revenue department, and HURL will be used for the project, with 11.41 hectares (28.20 acres) of tourism department land to be allocated free of cost to CIL. The company will execute the project using its own resources. The plant is expected to generate at least 33.29 million units of green energy annually, contributing to Gorakhpur’s electricity needs while supporting environmental goals. “The use of floating solar technology allows power generation without additional land acquisition and can improve efficiency due to the cooling effect of water,” said the official source. The Gorakhpur project aligns with similar initiatives in the state, including the 49 MW floating solar plant approved in Lalitpur district on the Maudaha reservoir. Being developed by GAIL with an investment of Rs 257 crore, the Lalitpur project is expected to be completed within 18 months. Similarly, an 11 MW floating solar plant is being developed on the raw water reservoir within the premises of the Khurja super thermal power project by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited. Uttar Pradesh already has a 20 MW floating solar plant, located on the reservoir of the NTPC Auraiya Gas Power Station in Dibiyapur. The state has identified additional reservoirs for future projects.
