Chandigarh races ahead in solar push with new 4 MWp floating plant

The Chandigarh Administration is expanding its use of floating solar energy with a new 4 MWp plant at the Sector 39 waterworks, as reported by The Tribune.  

Chandigarh had earlier commissioned the region’s largest floating solar project, a 2.5 MWp plant at the same site. Another 3 MWp floating plant has been completed and is expected to become operational shortly. Alongside these, the Administration plans to add a 1 MWp rooftop solar installation on parking sheds at the IT Park, building on existing capacity there.

According to CREST (Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society), the city has reached 90 MWp of installed solar capacity across 10,988 sites. This has generated 270 million units (MUs) of electricity and avoided 186,479 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

In 2024–25 alone, 28 MWp of added capacity produced 25 MUs. By December 2023, all government buildings had achieved full solar coverage under the Solar City Mission.

Solar panels on 6,627 government sites now generate about 23.5 MUs annually, saving an estimated Rs 126.9 million each year. Of 114 government schools, 108 now have rooftop systems. In the past year, these schools consumed 6.1 MUs and generated 7.32 MUs, creating a surplus.

Chandigarh is among 34 cities selected by the Union Ministry of Power to become solar cities by 2030.