Lok Sabha Question No. 45 (STARRED), answered on 2018-12-13
Subject: Water Consumption by Thermal Power Plants
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: VINCENT H PALA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.45 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2018

WATER CONSUMPTION BY THERMAL POWER PLANTS

*45.  SHRI VINCENT H. PALA:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the total water consumed by thermal power plants on per day basis across the country;

(b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps/plans  to  take steps to mandate daily water withdrawal and consumption reporting by such plants; and

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

A N S W E R

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

( SHRI  R.K. SINGH )

(a) to (c) :  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.45 TO BE ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 13.12.2018 REGARDING WATER CONSUMPTION BY THERMAL POWER PLANTS.

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- (a) : Total  water  consumed  by  thermal  power  plants  on  per  day basis  across  the  country  is  not  monitored  by  Ministry  of  Power/Central Electricity Authority. However, daily water consumption in thermal power plants  of  DVC  is  3.02  Lakh  kl  per  day  and  NTPC's  average  daily  water consumption in its thermal power plants for year 2017-18 is 15.37 Lakh kl per day.
- (b) & (c) : Government  of  India,  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) notified the norms for water consumption for thermal  power  plants  on  7 th   December,  2015.  These  were  subsequently amended vide Notification on 28.06.2018. The amended norms provide as follows:
- i. All  plants  with  Once  Through  Cooling  (OTC)  shall  install  Cooling Tower (CT) and achieve specific water consumption of 3.5 m3/MWh within 2 years of Notification dated 07.12.2015.
- ii. All existing CT based plants shall reduce specific water consumption  up-to  maximum  of3.5  m3/MWh  within  a  period  of  2 years of Notification.
- iii. New  plants  to  be  installed  after  1st  January,  2017  shall  have  to meet specific  water  consumption  of  3.0  m 3 /MWh  and  achieve  zero water discharge.

The aforesaid water consumption limit shall not be applicable for thermal power plants using sea water.

Further,  following  steps  have  been  taken  by  Government  to reduce water consumption in thermal power plants.

- i. As  per  the  Tariff  Policy  2016,  the  thermal  power  plants  including the existing plants located within 50 km  radius of  sewage treatment  plant  of  Municipality/local  bodies  shall  in  the  order  of their  closeness  to  the  sewage  treatment  plant,  mandatorily  use treated sewage water produced by these bodies and the associated cost on this account be allowed as a pass through in the tariff. This scheme  mainly  envisaged  to  explore  the  possibility  of  recycle/ reuse  of  the  treated  waste  water  from  STP's  for  non-potable  use (cooling  purpose)  in  TPPs  within  50  km  radius.  Accordingly,  the mapping of thermal power stations within the vicinity of 50 km from STPs across the country has been carried out. Presently 1179 MLD of STP water potential has been identified across the country, out of which 250 MLD of STP water is currently utilized in various TPPs across country.

..........2.

- ii. Ash water recirculation system- Water from ash pond is recovered and reused in the system.
- iii. Dry fly  Ash  Handling  System  &  High  concentration  slurry disposal system  (HCSD)  -  These  ash  handling  techniques  reduce  the  ash handling water requirement thereby reducing the water consumption.
- iv. Zero  water  discharge  system  -  Treating  the  total  waste  water produced  in  the  plant  and  recycling  back  in  to  the  consumptive water system, reduces water consumption.
- v. Operating  cooling  towers  at  higher  Cycle  of  Concentration  (COC)This reduces the waste water generated by the plant. This waste water  generated  is  used  for  low  grade  applications like  ash handling, dust suppression system and gardening etc.

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