Bhilai Steel Plant to Install 200 KW Solar Power Plant at Maitri Bagh Zoo – EQ
In Short : Bhilai Steel Plant is setting up a 200-kW elevated solar power plant at Maitri Bagh Zoo in Chhattisgarh, generating 288,000 units annually and saving ₹2 lakh monthly in energy costs. The space beneath the panels will grow animal fodder, promoting green energy and sustainability while marking the state’s first elevated solar facility.
In Detail : Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), part of Steel Authority of India (SAIL) in Chhattisgarh, is set to install a 200-KW elevated solar power plant at Maitri Bagh, a zoo managed by the company in its township. This solar installation is one of the tallest of its kind, with a front height of 3.5 meters that gradually increases to 5.5 meters at the back. The structure will weigh around 30 tonnes, making it one of the heaviest solar systems used for a 200-KW plant.
The plant will use advanced monocrystalline bifacial solar modules, known for their high efficiency, increased solar production, and compact size. It is expected to generate 24,000 units of electricity per month, or approximately 288,000 units annually.
Upon completion, Maitri Bagh will save approximately ₹200,000 per month in electricity costs. The solar power generated will supply the zoo and the nearby Jawahar Udyan, contributing to green energy production.
This elevated solar power plant will be the first of its kind in Chhattisgarh, built jointly by BSP and the Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (Creda). It will also be integrated into the SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant’s grid-connected solar power system, for which installation is already underway.
The elevated design allows the space beneath the panels to be utilized for outdoor seating, storage, or to grow fodder for the animals in the zoo, further maximizing the plant’s benefits. After construction, Creda will handle the plant’s maintenance for five years.
