Lok Sabha Question No. 2419 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-16
Subject: Shortage of Water in Power Plants
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: SATYA PAL SINGH, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2419 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2017

## SHORTAGE OF WATER IN POWER PLANTS

2419.  DR. SATYAPAL SINGH: SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE: SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the measures taken by the Government to overcome the shortage of  water  in  Thermal  Power  Plants  have  achieved  the  desired  results  in  the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  a  number  of  Thermal  Power  Plants  have  been closed due to non-availability of water across the country during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (e) the  number  of  Thermal  Plants  used  treated  sewage  water  across  the country, as on date, State/UT-wise along with its impact on the tariff; and
- (f) the  corrective  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  bridge  the gap  between  demand  and  supply  of  water  in  Thermal  Power  Plants  across  the country?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

( SHRI  PIYUSH GOYAL )

(a) to (f) : Following steps have been taken to reduce water consumption  in thermal power plants:

1. With effect from 01.06.1999, Closed Cycle System is being installed in new thermal power plants instead of Once Through Cooling System.
2. Installation of Ash water recirculation system and stoppage of discharge from ash pond effluent since 2003 onwards under Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection (CREP).
3. Adoption of high (65% solids) /medium concentration ( 38% solids) ash slurry disposal system.

.........2.

4. Disposal of fly ash in dry form after the notification on fly ash utilisation in the year 1999.
5. Maintaining high Cycle of Concentration (COC) (5) in Cooling Towers.
6. Use of cooling tower blow down for disposal of bottom ash.

Through these measures, total consumptive water requirement in a closed cycle system for a thermal power plant has been brought down from 7m 3 / MWh  to about 3m 3 /MWh.

As  per  the  information  furnished  by  various  utilities,  the  details  of number  of  units  which  had  to  undergo  shutdown  during  certain  periods  due  to non-availability of water and generation loss thereof is given below:

| Year                |   Number of Units |   Loss of generation in MUs |
|---------------------|-------------------|-----------------------------|
| 2013-14             |                16 |                        5253 |
| 2014-15             |                09 |                        1258 |
| 2015-16             |                15 |                        4989 |
| 2016-up to Feb,2017 |                21 |                        5870 |

As  per  information  available,  Pragati  Power  of  IPPGCL,  Delhi  and Rattan India Power Ltd, Nashik and Koradi TPS (3x660 MW) of MAHAGENCO use treated  sewage  water.    As  per  the  Tariff  Policy  dated  28.01.2016,  the  cost incurred on using treated sewage water be allowed as a pass through in the tariff.

To bridge the gap between demand and supply of water in thermal power plants, Government has taken various steps to reduce water consumption in the Thermal Power Plants as detailed above.

Further,  the  Government  of  India  has  notified  new  Tariff  Policy  on 28.01.2016 wherein it is mandated that the thermal power plant(s) including the existing  plants  located  within  50  km  radius  of  sewage  treatment  plant  of Municipality  /  local  bodies  /  similar  organisation  shall,  in  the  order  to  their closeness  to  sewage  treatment  plant,  mandatorily  use  treated  sewage  water produced by these bodies and the associated cost on this account be allowed as pass through in the tariff.

In  addition  to  the  above,  Ministry  of    Environment,  Forest  and Climate  Change,  Govt.  of  India  vide  Notification  dated  07.12.2015  has  issued Environmental (Protection) Amendment Rules, 2015  wherein it is mandated that all  existing    and  new  plants  shall  achieve  specified  water  consumption  norms within period of two years from date of Notification.

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