Lighthouse switches over to solar power

The Nagayalanka Lighthouse, one of the oldest lighthouses on the Andhra Pradesh coast, and commissioned on May 10, 1972, has switched over to solar power completely.

The Ministry of Shipping taps solar power to run the lighthouse, the luminous range of which is 24 miles with one Revolution Per Minute (RPM) at Gullalamoda in Krishna district. As many as five panels, with a total capacity of 210 watts, were installed on one of the buildings on the lighthouse premises. Citing administrative guidelines, officials declined to disclose other technical details pertaining to the solar power panels.

The lighthouse is tucked away between a dense mangrove forest and the Bay of Bengal. It is the only point from where the spot which was hit by a severe cyclonic storm in 1977 is clearly visible. It is geographically located at a latitude of 15” 47’ 10” and longitude of 80” 59” 15” (East), with a greater potential to woo tourists. “Working at Nagayalanka Lighthouse is like being on a holiday trip, when one can enjoy the exotic location but difficult to manage in case of medical need,” an official said.

Commissioned in 1972, the structure turns 43 on Sunday