FCC

15 MW solar plant to be established by Visakhapatnam Port Authority

2023-06-06

Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) has announced its plans to commission a phased establishment of a 15 MW solar plant. The port currently operates a 10 MW solar plant and has requested the Andhra Pradesh government for land to set up the new solar facility. VPA was the first among the 12 major ports in the country to venture into solar energy production.

In an effort to reduce carbon emissions from its equipment and transportation vehicles, the port aims to utilise LNG, CNG, and green hydrogen. To support this objective, VPA has partnered with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to establish a CNG bunkering facility, with an investment of Rs 100 million. Additionally, the port has planned the construction of four covered storage sheds with a total capacity of 2.94 lakh MT, costing Rs 1.16 billion. VPA Chairperson M Angamuthu stated that the work on these projects will be completed between September and March.

In alignment with the 'Harit Sagar' guidelines for achieving quantifiable reductions in carbon emissions by 2030, the port has implemented various green initiatives. This includes the deployment of 221 water sprinklers across eight cargo storage locations, covering 100 acres, to suppress dust from cargo stacks. The port also operates a 10 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to treat municipal waste from the city entering the port area, and plans to establish another 5 MLD STP.