Biogas from the Delhi Jal Board’s (DJB) sewage treatment plant in Kondli is now being used to generate power, which will bring the water utility’s electricity bill down by Rs.20 crore annually.
The DJB said in a statement on Sunday that the 45 million gallons per day (MGD) sewage treatment plant was providing biogas for the power plant, which is currently producing 10,000 kilowatt hour (kWh) per day. Officials said the electricity generation was expected to increase soon.
The DJB had previously commissioned biogas power plants at Okhla and Rithala sewage treatment plants. While the Okhla plant generates 12,000 kWh per day, the one at Rithala produces 20,000 kWh per day.
“Presently, 30 to 35 per cent of the power demand of these plants is being met from the electricity generated in-house. This is also reducing the dependency on power supply from discoms,” read the DJB statement.
Officials say the plan is to set up biogas-based power plants in all DJB sewage treatment plants, wherever feasible, that will be designed to include power generation facilities. Also, electricity generation will soon start at sewage treatment plants at Pappan Kalan, Nilothi, Yamuna Vihar and Delhi Gate.
The DJB has set a target of 70,000 kWh per day of power generation through its gas-based plants by the end of 2015. Officials say the flaring of biogas at some plants is wasting a potential source of clean energy. The DJB has come up with plans to trap the gas and transport it to the nearest power plant to generate electricity in the next two months.
Meanwhile, DJB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) S. S. Yadav said on Sunday that 310 leakages in pipelines had been plugged during a special drive in the past one month. “The leakages include both surface leakages, which are easy to detect, as well as hidden leakages that are detected with the help of instruments. Millions of litres have been saved by plugging these,” Yadav said. — With PTI inputs
The DJB said the 45 million gallons per day sewage treatment plant was providing biogas for the power plant, which is currently producing 10,000 kilowatt hour per day
