SPV Power plant becomes an Eyesore Rs.1.5 crore Solar Power Plant project of Neil Island becomes laughing stock

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Dec 29: Nearly 10 years back the NRSE division of Electricity Department had installed a 50 KW Grid Interactive SPV Power Plant at Neil Islands with an aim to provide electricity to residents of Neil Island at very low cost. At that point of time the cost of the project was Rs. 1.5 crores and it was told that the power plant will save HSD oil worth Rs. 4.45 Lakh per year.
But as it happens usually in Andaman and Nicobar Administration, this project also proved as a total wastage of tax payers’ money. In Andaman ambitious projects are announced, huge amount of money is siphoned off but ultimately public gets nothing. The SPV Power Plant project faced similar fate.
After few years, it was found that the power plant is supplying insufficient power, far less than what it was actually promised by Administration. For few months the power generated from this power plant was supplied to Neil Hospital and a few other government offices but again something went further wrong.
Today the SPV Power Plant generates nothing more than gas from the dying batteries. 720 SPV panels installed near power house of Neil Island have become an eyesore for public as well as visiting tourists. Infact the SPV power plant has become a laughing stock for public.
According to report, the fate of SPV Power Plant of Havelock Island is also exactly same. The SPV Power Plant became non-functional in 2008, two years before the collapse of SPV Power Plant of Neil Island.
When Andaman Sheekha Contacted Ms. Savitri Singh, Assistant Engineer, NRSE, Electricity Department she said on 27/4/2013 she inspected both the non-operational solar power plants of Neil and Havelock and submitted a report that all the equipment are outdated and non functional. According to her he has already recommended for immediate replacement of these equipment.
According to her survey the capacity of the SPV Power Plant is 50 KW power but in the same area, with the help of new and upgraded equipments, the latest SPV Power Plants can easily provide upto 250 KV.
The Assistant Engineer said that that now the department is trying to upgrade or replace all the equipments and for this the paper works are being carried out.
According to reports BHEL had installed the whole Power Plant System but they have gave AMC for only three years after which they did not come to repair the same and due to which the entire system collapsed. The Electricity Department tried to contact NTCP, which has recently installed 58 MW power station in CARI but they showed no interest.
Hope this replacement and upgradation, which will again cost several crores will yield some results for public of Neil Island, who are suffering heavy power cuts.