Koradi and Khaperkheda thermal power stations now meet 85-90% of their water needs using treated sewage from Nagpur. This shift helps save fresh water from Pench dam for city residents. Both plants use recycled water for cooling and firefighting, showing how industrial sites can successfully reuse waste to conserve resources.
Nagpur: Amid growing concerns over dwindling water resources, Koradi and Khaperkheda thermal power stations of Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco) are meeting 85-90% of their water requirements through treated wastewater from Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) Bhandewadi sewage treatment plant (STP), significantly reducing their dependence on fresh water from Pench dam.Khaperkheda Thermal Power Station (TPS), with an installed capacity of 1,340 MW, requires around 90 million litres of water daily. Of this, 80 MLD is supplied through tertiary-treated wastewater (TTWR) from Bhandewadi, while the remaining 10 MLD is drawn from Pench dam. Thus, nearly 89% of its daily requirement is met through recycled sewage water.The treated water is used for condenser cooling and firefighting, while fresh water is reserved for industrial and domestic requirements, including drinking water. Water from Bhanegaon coal mine is also used for cooling and firefighting as and when required.Koradi TPS follows a similar model, with 85-90% of its water requirement met through treated wastewater supplied by Bhandewadi STP. The plant receives around 4,500 million litres of treated water every month. Fresh water from Pench is used for specific requirements, including boiler-related processes and drinking water.
The increased reliance on treated wastewater has enabled Mahagenco to substantially reduce its fresh water reservation. The combined allocation for the two power stations, earlier pegged at 67 million cubic metres (MCM), has been brought down to 31.05 MCM under the revised arrangement. Of this, Koradi has a reservation of 26.05 MCM, while Khaperkheda has 5 MCM.The latest water data for Nov 12 shows that Pench dam, with a storage capacity of 141 MCM, held 117.72 MCM, or 82.91% of its capacity. The water level at Navegaon Khairy dam stood at 323.86 metres against its maximum of 325 metres. Mahagenco stated that the available storage was sufficient to meet Khaperkheda TPS's requirements.Both plants have also adopted the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R) approach and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) practices. Their sewage and effluent treatment plants process wastewater for reuse in gardening, ash handling and other industrial operations.
Water used in ash disposal is collected through recovery lines and recycled, further limiting freshwater consumption.
The arrangement highlights the potential of using treated municipal sewage for industrial purposes, leaving more freshwater available for domestic consumption, particularly when the city faces rainfall deficits and pressure on its reservoir stocks.