The Maharashtra government, in a bid to overcome burgeoning water shortage, has decided to use treated drainage water in all power projects being developed by the state-run MahaGenco and the private sector. Power developers have been asked to enter into an arrangement with civic bodies for treatment of drainage water, which can be used for cooling and ash disposal.
“Water is required for boiler make-up, cooling and ash disposal. These operations require huge water and there is a scarcity, and thus the decision,” said energy minister Ajit Pawar. MahaGenco, he told Business Standard, is currently engaged in the capacity addition of 5,000 Mw while independent power producers have proposed to add 10,000 Mw. A 400-Mw power plant generally requires 37 million litres per day (MLD) of water.
MahaGenco has already brought in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation for use of recycled drainage water in the 1,980 Mw, coal-based power project at Koradi near Nagpur.
