Tata Power commences production of solar cells at Tirunelveli plant

New Delhi: Tata Power has commenced production of solar cells at India's largest single-location in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, helping boost domestic manufacturing of cells and modules needed to convert sunlight into electricity.

In a statement, TP Solar Ltd, a subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL), announced the commencement of commercial production from the 2GW solar cell line at its manufacturing facility in Tirunelveli -- the country’s largest single-location solar cell and module plant.

This follows the successful production of solar modules earlier this year.

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"The solar cell production, currently at 2 GW capacity will enhance Tata Power's ability to meet the growing demand for high-quality, and domestically produced solar components, especially for large-scale capacity-addition projects," it said, adding the plant is expected to ramp up production with the remaining 2 GW capacity to be added over the next 4-6 weeks, reaching peak production of 4GW within the next few months.

Having a total cell and module manufacturing capacity of 4.3 GW, the module production line at the Tirunelveli plant was commissioned in October 2023 and has produced 1,250 MW of solar modules to date.

The company has committed nearly Rs 4,300 crore towards the establishment of this facility.

"The commencement of cell production at our Tirunelveli plant is a significant step towards indigenisation in the solar value chain and achieving self-sufficiency... We believe that this plant will lead the way in supporting the country's vision for a Net-Zero carbon future," Tata Power CEO and MD Praveer Sinha said.

The solar cells and modules produced at the Tamil Nadu facility will initially cater to the company's ongoing projects, further strengthening its supply chain. "With an eye on future expansion, Tata Power also plans to explore opportunities for wider market distribution," the statement said without elaborating.

In addition to the Tirunelveli plant, the company also operates a manufacturing facility established in 1992 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. This facility has a production capacity of 682 MW for solar modules and 530 MW for solar cells. To date, it has supplied a total of 3.73 GW of solar modules and 2.26 GW of solar cells.

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