Tata Power unit kicks off solar cell production in Tamil Nadu unit, big boost for domestic solar manufacturing

TP Solar Ltd, one of India’s largest cell and module manufacturing companies and a subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL), has commenced production of solar cells at its Tamil Nadu plant. The development is expected to boost domestic manufacturing of cells and modules needed to convert sunlight into electricity. 

In a statement, TP Solar Ltd 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.   

“The solar cell production, currently at 2GW 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 2GW 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,” Praveer Sinha, Tata Power CEO and MD, 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.   

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