Lucknow, Dec. 12 -- The Uttar Pradesh government has approved the state's first floating solar power plant to be set up on a reservoir in Lalitpur. The project will be developed by the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), which will use the power generated as captive energy for its gas processing operations in the region. "The state's first floating solar plant will be set up at the Maudaha dam/reservoir in Lalitpur with an investment of Rs 257 crore by GAIL," a senior energy department official said. "The 49 mw (megawatt) plant is expected to be operational in 18 months," he added. Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), the state government's nodal body, had invited applications through its dedicated portal for setting up floating solar plants at six identified dams/reservoirs in the state. "We have finalised one of the six locations by approving GAIL's proposal. The portal is open for receiving applications for the remaining five sites," a NEDA official said. The government had initially identified 35 potential sites for floating solar installations, but shortlisted six after detailed assessment. It invited applications for all the six sites with a combined potential of 440 mw of green power in the first phase in April-May. The government has already rolled out comprehensive guidelines for allotment of reservoirs/dams for setting up floating solar power plants in the state. Issued under the Solar Energy Policy-2022, the guidelines are to be implemented by the irrigation and water resources department. The five remaining reservoirs that the government will allot to developers in the first phase include the Barusagar, Dukma and Pathrai dams in Jhansi, the Gunta dam in Chitrakoot and the Upper Khajuri dam in Mirzapur. The March 14 (2024) notification identifies 35 potential sites for floating solar projects to be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. To encourage public sector participation, the guidelines prioritise public sector undertakings (PSUs) and joint ventures between the Union and state government entities. Private developers can also apply via the designated portal, though PSUs will receive preference in case of a tie in merit scores. Officials said the Lalitpur project marks a significant step in the state's push to expand renewable energy capacity by utilising water bodies for clean power generation, reducing land-use pressure and improving plant efficiency....