Kannur airport to add 4 MW solar plant, ₹33-crore cargo complex
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will inaugurate two infrastructure projects at Kannur International Airport on Monday (September 28, 2026): a 4 MWp grid-connected solar power plant and a new integrated cargo complex. The two facilities are intended to expand the airport's use of renewable energy and strengthen its cargo-handling capacity.
The solar plant has been completed by Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL). It combines 2.163 MWp of ground-mounted capacity with 1.841 MWp of carport solar capacity, taking the total to 4 MWp. The project was implemented under the capital expenditure (CAPEX) model and has an award value of approximately ₹18.90 crore.
According to KIAL, the plant is expected to generate an average of 4.8 lakh units of electricity a month, meeting a substantial part of the airport's daytime power requirement. The airport is expected to be effectively power neutral during Zone 1 billing hours, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and to record net savings of about ₹30 lakh a month after applicable charges and operation and maintenance costs.
The plant is also expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 40,000 tonnes a year. KIAL said it is pursuing further expansion of renewable energy generation as part of its long-term objective of achieving greater energy self-sufficiency. The airport has not announced a timeline for the next phase.
The integrated cargo complex, built at a cost of ₹32.95 crore, has a floor area of 5,695 square metres and an annual cargo handling capacity of 57,000 metric tonnes. It brings international export and import cargo operations and domestic cargo operations together at one facility.
Dedicated areas include 1,912 sq m for international exports, 485 sq m for international imports and 201 sq m for import Customs examination. The complex has a truck docking facility for 13 trucks and separate airside access gates, along with temperature-controlled facilities.
Other features include dual-view X-ray scanners, a Customs bonded warehouse, Customs examination facilities and dedicated infrastructure for hazardous and detained goods. The temperature-controlled and perishable cargo arrangements are aimed at handling goods that need to be moved quickly and at stable temperatures.
Funding for the complex includes a ₹20 crore grant under the Trade Infrastructure for Export scheme of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and ₹5.09 crore under a NABARD grant for the Centre for Perishable Cargo.
Kannur International Airport, which began commercial operations in December 2018, is operated by KIAL. Airports in India have in recent years been expanding on-site solar generation, as electricity is a significant component of their operating costs. The carport-mounted portion of the Kannur plant allows generation within the passenger and vehicle areas of the campus, while the ground-mounted portion uses open land.
Both projects are being inaugurated on the same day. No further details about additional phases or future capacity targets were announced.
