PMC plans integrated power plant to meet its electricity needs

By generating power for itself, the civic body plans to save its annual electricity bill of Rs 125 cr

After successfully converting solid waste to an energy source, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) now aims at setting up integrated power plant with the target of generating power equal to its consumption for civic facilities.

In his budget speech on Tuesday, Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak said the civic administration was planning to take up integrated power plant, involving solid waste department, sewage treatment department and other departments, to generate power. "We should aim at generating power supply equal to that consumed by the civic body for various purposes and this is a first step towards it," he said.

The project at Naidu Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) is planned on a BOT basis where wet garbage of solid waste department and sludge prepared at STP of sewage treatment department would be used to generate gas and then power.

"The PMC spends Rs 125 crore per annum towards payment of electricity bill. If we are able to generate power in large amount by new methods then the civic administration will be able to reduce the expenditure of electricity bill and even try to manage the power supply of the city," said Joint Municipal Commissioner Suresh Jagtap.

The PMC started with biogas plant in various parts of city where it processed the wet garbage generated in that area for producing electricity which is being used to light gardens, street lights and ward offices in some places. The PMC has undertaken setting up of biogas plant across the city in large numbers.

The solid waste management department has also successfully generated power from waste. The power generated would soon be connected to grid.

"The PMC consumes around 30 MW power with most of it going for water supply and sewage treatment plant. If we are able to generate power equivalent to that required at water supply plant and sewage plant then it will help the PMC reduce its expenditure on electricity bills," said Srinivas Kandul, superintending engineer of PMC.

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