The Uttar Pradesh government has approved the state’s first floating solar power plant, which will be established at the Maudaha dam in Lalitpur.

The project, developed by GAIL, will have a capacity of 49 MW and is expected to be operational within 18 months. With an investment of Rs 257 crore, the plant will provide captive energy for GAIL’s gas processing operations. This is part of the state’s larger initiative to deploy floating solar systems across six identified reservoirs, with the first phase targeting a combined capacity of 440 MW.

The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has already shortlisted the Maudaha reservoir, and applications for the remaining five sites will continue to be accepted. The government’s Solar Energy Policy-2022 provides guidelines for the allotment process, prioritising public sector undertakings (PSUs). As a NEDA official stated, “We have finalised one of the six locations by approving GAIL’s proposal.”