The Nokh solar photovoltaic (PV) park is a 925MW solar park being developed in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, India.
The tender process for the project was carried out by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). The power purchase agreement (PPA) for the project was also signed between NTPC and Rising Sun Energy.
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NTPC is developing the three-unit solar park at Nokh with an estimated investment of Rs4.18bn ($50.17m). NTPC is India’s largest state-owned power utility, owned and operated by the government of India.
Rising Sun Energy had completed a solar power plant with a capacity of 190MW at the park under developer mode.
The 190MW plant is owned and operated by Yinson Renewables through its indirect subsidiary Rising Sun Energy. It entered commercial operation in November 2023.
It is being developed under the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s scheme for the development of solar parks and ultra-mega solar power projects and is in line with the Rajasthan Solar Energy Policy, 2011.
Scheduled to be completed by September 2024, the project is expected to contribute Rs185m a year in the form of development charges to the state exchequer for 25 years. The proceeds will be used to develop the state’s renewable energy and transmission infrastructure.
Nokh solar park location
The solar park site is located at Nokh village in Tehsil Pokaran of Jaisalmer district in the state of Rajasthan.
Rajasthan is one of the most preferable destinations for solar park projects in India due to the availability of the highest number of sunny days in a year, high insolation, private non-agricultural land, and large tracts of government-owned land.
Nokh solar park development details
Nokh solar park is divided into four sections, with three sections of 245MW each being developed in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mode and the operating 190MW section in developer mode.
The development of the 735MW balance-of-system package of the project includes site clearance and geotechnical investigation, design, and construction of foundation and erection of module mounting structure for PV panels, including fixing and interconnection of PV modules.
Other works include design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, transportation, installation, testing, and commissioning of solar PV panels.
The project will also involve the construction of a central monitoring and control station with switchgear room, battery room, supervisory control, and data acquisition room, storeroom, and security cabin.
NTPC issued a tender to select developers for the 190MW section of the solar project at Nokh Solar Park in January 2021. The 190MW plant is installed with 525,360 solar panels. It has high-efficiency crystalline bifacial solar PV modules.
Power transmission details
NTPC will build four park pooling substations and transmission lines for power evacuation from the Nokh solar park. Power will be transmitted to a 33kV/220kV pooling station through a 33kV capacity cable and will reach the 765kV Bhadla-II substation of Power Grid Corporation of India from the solar park.
The company will also construct 220kV and 132kV transmission lines for the solar park on a turnkey basis. Associated electrical equipment, including transformers, panels, protection system, breakers, isolators, and cables required for interfacing with the grid will also be installed.
Power purchase agreements
A PPA with NTPC is in place for the 190MW plant for a period of 25 years.
Contractors involved
Vikram Solar, one of India’s leading manufacturers of solar panel modules, won a contract to supply 152MW solar modules for NTPC’s Nokh project in Rajasthan in December 2023.
Tata Power Solar Systems (TPSSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy, one of the largest renewable energy providers in India, entered into a contract with NTPC in the same month, for the supply of 152MWp DCR solar PV modules for the project.
TPSSL’s solar cell and module manufacturing facility in Bengaluru will supply 152MWp DCR solar PV modules for this project.
Sterling and Wilson, one of the world’s leading mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and EPC companies, is installing a balance of solar photovoltaic systems for Nokh.
Nextracker, the world’s leading provider of smart solar tracker and software solutions, will provide its award-winning smart solar trackers for the Nokh solar park.
