Ghoramara Island is located in Sunderbans, Bay of Bengal. These island finally are getting electricity. A solar power plant of 250kW capacity is about to be set up here. It is going to be the largest off-grid facility in the country.
The team of IIT-Kharagpur experts have taken up the job to light up the area with over 5,000 people. The team will be headed by renewable energy scientist Santi Pada Gon Chaudhari. The project is funded by the Union Ministry of science & technology.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year. It will also help operate boats, pumps and totos. The union ministry of science & technology has sanctioned Rs 4.5 crore to IIT-Kharagpur for the project.
The local panchayat department of the island has given one-acre plot for the plant to be set up. Only a few families in Ghoramara have personal solar lights and most families are still dependent on candles or keroscene lanterns. Once the plant is functional, the island will get the electricity by putting the generated solar power into the local grid. This grid will be set up alongside.
Gon Chaudhuri said it would have cost around Rs 40 crore to bring electricity lines to the island crossing Muriganga river. “The per unit cost of using solar power will only be Rs 4- Rs 5 once the plant starts operations.
Source: timesofindia