200 KV solar plant completed 6 months ago lies idle due to minor pending work

 

 

 

A 200-kilowatt solar power plant, completed nearly six months ago, lies idle near Maitri Bagh in Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) Township due to pending minor electrical work by the BSP’s Electrical Department. This delay in commissioning has already resulted in an estimated financial loss of Rs 20 lakh. According to information, the project was funded under the BSP-CSR and the installation of solar plant in the location was completed by Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) with the sanctioned budget of Rs 1.95 crore under an MoU. The solar plant was fully constructed by November 2024, with solar panels, inverters, cabling, and structural foundations in place. However, the system remains non-operational as the ‘Termination Point’—a minor key connection required to feed the generated power into the system—has not yet been installed allegedly by BSP’s electrical department.

 

With an expected daily output of 1,000 units of electricity, the plant could have significantly reduced the energy expenses. Instead, the delay is causing an ongoing monthly loss of approximately Rs 3 lakh. Meanwhile, the BSP’s Horticulture Department has resumed growing grass under the solar panels to provide fodder for zoo animals as the area was earlier used for the same purpose. In addition to this stalled plant, several other solar projects—planned for locations such as Ispat Bhawan, HR Building, Town Services Department, and JLN Hospital—have not yet been executed. In contrast, the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL) in Durg has successfully commissioned over 300 small solar plants and 50–60 larger installations, each contributing more than 10 MW of solar capacity to the grid. When approached, officials from BSP’s Public Relations Department declined to comment on the prolonged delay in the plant’s commissioning.