Page 2 - Water Neutral Electricity Production in India: Avoiding the Unmanageable
P. 2
TERI Policy Brief
transmission and distribution losses (both technical plants to maintain hydrological balance in an area, and
and non-technical) of electricity produced in the incorporating the concept of water neutrality into the
country, ranking India among the countries with highest policy framework regulating power plants. It also presents
Transmission & Distribution (T&D) losses. This also a way forward through a set of recommendations to
implies that a significant amount of water consumed achieve the water neutrality of electricity production in
by power plants also gets wasted due to T&D losses of the country.
electricity. In the purview of water stress scenarios of
the country, this is a significant loss. Recent issues of Water stress in electricity production
India is already water stressed1 country and will Maharashtra: Parli power plant shuts down after severe
soon be in the category of water scarce2 country. As per water crisis – 2012
World Resources Institute (WRI) report, more than 50%
of India’s area is experiencing high to extremely high Maharashtra’s Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Sta-
stress. Additionally the potential to increase the volume tion (CSTPS) was forced to shut down due to an un-
of utilization of water is as low as 5-10%, which will precedented scarcity of water
accelerate India’s pace towards a water scarce country.
Thermal power plants currently under construction in
Therefore these measures are not sufficient to Orissa state are undergoing delays due to water allo-
ensure sustainability of water resources in the region. cation issues
There are many other competing users for water in
the surrounding areas of the power plants. With the In Kerala, power cuts were imposed to tackle water
growing population, increasing urbanization, demand scarcity in 2008 when the state received 65% less
for water will increase manifold, which would create rainfall in monsoon than normal. (Source: Thaindian
more inter-sectoral competition for water. As per the News 2008)
National Water Policy 2012, the priority for water
supply is for domestic purpose and industries are less Opposition to Adani power projects is growing in
prioritized compared to domestic sector. With the Nagpur because the local community believes that
burgeoning water stress, and considering priorities of this power plant will threaten the availability of wa-
the National Water Policy, industries will be the worst hit ter for drinking and irrigation (Source: The Times of
in the coming years. Hence the need of the hour is that India 2011)
the industries including power plants look beyond their
boundaries and pay back to the natural system. Water neutrality of Power plants
Furthermore, considering the increase in thermal As Specific Water Consumption (SWC) is a measure of the
power production capacity under the normal scenarios, water consumed by power plants per unit of electricity
the benefits accrued due to reduction in specific water produced, it indicates only the direct water footprints of
consumption will have temporary affect in overall water electricity production. While it is a necessity to use water
balance of the country. Also, its impact will be limited for production of electricity through thermal processes,
to ensuring additional water available within the direct it’s not possible to reduce their SWC beyond a certain
source of water to the plants only. With future increase limit, currently stipulated as 3.5m3/ hr /MW. This means
in demand for water from other sectors, overall water that under future growth scenarios, power plants would
scarcity will resurface and reducing specific water still be consuming more than 1 million m3 water every
consumption by thermal power plants will only be a hour, which is a significant amount considering future
temporary respite. Hence, a more holistic approach water scarcity scenarios.
dealing with the reduction and offsetting the impacts
of direct water footprints of thermal power plants is Water neutrality is an approach to offset this
required, which may ultimately lead to water neutral irreducible water use. The approach has potential to
electricity production in the country. make an activity ‘water neutral’ by promoting water
saving technology, water conservation or environmental
This policy brief is an attempt to highlight the protection measures, wastewater treatment and water
necessity of reducing water footprints of power “Water neutral is not about nullifying water use, but about
water saving where possible and offsetting the negative
1 Water stress: situation when annual water supplies drop below 1,700 m3 environmental and social effects of water use.”
per person per year
2 Water scarcity: situation when a country is below 1,000 m3 per person per year
2 DECEMBER 2016
transmission and distribution losses (both technical plants to maintain hydrological balance in an area, and
and non-technical) of electricity produced in the incorporating the concept of water neutrality into the
country, ranking India among the countries with highest policy framework regulating power plants. It also presents
Transmission & Distribution (T&D) losses. This also a way forward through a set of recommendations to
implies that a significant amount of water consumed achieve the water neutrality of electricity production in
by power plants also gets wasted due to T&D losses of the country.
electricity. In the purview of water stress scenarios of
the country, this is a significant loss. Recent issues of Water stress in electricity production
India is already water stressed1 country and will Maharashtra: Parli power plant shuts down after severe
soon be in the category of water scarce2 country. As per water crisis – 2012
World Resources Institute (WRI) report, more than 50%
of India’s area is experiencing high to extremely high Maharashtra’s Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Sta-
stress. Additionally the potential to increase the volume tion (CSTPS) was forced to shut down due to an un-
of utilization of water is as low as 5-10%, which will precedented scarcity of water
accelerate India’s pace towards a water scarce country.
Thermal power plants currently under construction in
Therefore these measures are not sufficient to Orissa state are undergoing delays due to water allo-
ensure sustainability of water resources in the region. cation issues
There are many other competing users for water in
the surrounding areas of the power plants. With the In Kerala, power cuts were imposed to tackle water
growing population, increasing urbanization, demand scarcity in 2008 when the state received 65% less
for water will increase manifold, which would create rainfall in monsoon than normal. (Source: Thaindian
more inter-sectoral competition for water. As per the News 2008)
National Water Policy 2012, the priority for water
supply is for domestic purpose and industries are less Opposition to Adani power projects is growing in
prioritized compared to domestic sector. With the Nagpur because the local community believes that
burgeoning water stress, and considering priorities of this power plant will threaten the availability of wa-
the National Water Policy, industries will be the worst hit ter for drinking and irrigation (Source: The Times of
in the coming years. Hence the need of the hour is that India 2011)
the industries including power plants look beyond their
boundaries and pay back to the natural system. Water neutrality of Power plants
Furthermore, considering the increase in thermal As Specific Water Consumption (SWC) is a measure of the
power production capacity under the normal scenarios, water consumed by power plants per unit of electricity
the benefits accrued due to reduction in specific water produced, it indicates only the direct water footprints of
consumption will have temporary affect in overall water electricity production. While it is a necessity to use water
balance of the country. Also, its impact will be limited for production of electricity through thermal processes,
to ensuring additional water available within the direct it’s not possible to reduce their SWC beyond a certain
source of water to the plants only. With future increase limit, currently stipulated as 3.5m3/ hr /MW. This means
in demand for water from other sectors, overall water that under future growth scenarios, power plants would
scarcity will resurface and reducing specific water still be consuming more than 1 million m3 water every
consumption by thermal power plants will only be a hour, which is a significant amount considering future
temporary respite. Hence, a more holistic approach water scarcity scenarios.
dealing with the reduction and offsetting the impacts
of direct water footprints of thermal power plants is Water neutrality is an approach to offset this
required, which may ultimately lead to water neutral irreducible water use. The approach has potential to
electricity production in the country. make an activity ‘water neutral’ by promoting water
saving technology, water conservation or environmental
This policy brief is an attempt to highlight the protection measures, wastewater treatment and water
necessity of reducing water footprints of power “Water neutral is not about nullifying water use, but about
water saving where possible and offsetting the negative
1 Water stress: situation when annual water supplies drop below 1,700 m3 environmental and social effects of water use.”
per person per year
2 Water scarcity: situation when a country is below 1,000 m3 per person per year
2 DECEMBER 2016
