It is the only major port in India to achieve the feat, says VPT official

Having achieved the incremental growth during the current fiscal year three months ahead of the schedule, the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) has earned a unique distinction of being the only major port in India to meet its total energy requirement from solar power generated by its captive plant.

Now, the VPT is generating 17 million units of power per annum from its 10 MW power plant and after meeting the requirement of the port and and its BOT operators—Vizag General Cargo Berth, Visakha Container Terminal and Essar Vizag Terminal Limited—, it is selling the surplus 5 million units to the State.

Jackson Engineers Limited, a NOIDA-based company, is operating the power plant after installing solar panels near the Visakhapatnam international airport. The project involving an investment of around ₹60 crore and an area of 50 acres was launched in 2015 and it was commissioned within one and a half year.

Rooftop plant

VPT has also forged a tie-up with Solar Energy Corporation Limited (SECL) to harness rooftop solar power. Suitable places have been identified by the corporation, and the installation, commissioning and operation have been entrusted to project management consultants. The thrust of the project is to generate revenue from ‘idling rooftops.’ The consultants have entered into an understanding with the port to charge just ₹3.90 per unit without escalation for 25 years. They will generate 550 KW for which the process has been set in motion.

“We are the only government sector port to meet the total requirement from solar power generated by us,” VPT Deputy Chairman P.L. Haranadh told The Hindu.

The port has already installed solar panels on the rooftop of Golden Jubilee Hospital and a few other buildings.