Page 7 - Water Neutral Electricity Production in India: Avoiding the Unmanageable
P. 7
TERI Policy Brief
Alignment of CSR activities with other ongoing some notable examples indicating the possibility of
government programs: Government of India ZLD implementation by existing plants also.
is executing many schemes related to watershed
development, micro-irrigation and alternative Water Resource Impact Assessment (WRIA)
cropping systems improving the income of farmers. for existing plants: Recent standard TORs for EIA
These schemes are generally run by the local by thermal power plants prescribes hydro-geological
authorities including Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), assessment by an agency of repute to be part of EIA
district collectors etc. Association of industries in the for environmental clearance. However, broadening
execution of these schemes will optimize the use of the scope of hydro-geological assessment, WRIA
financial resources and accelerate the achievement should be made an integral part of power plant’s
of targets, while avoiding any duplication of efforts. standard operating procedures. WRIA should be
Convergence of CSR activities with the government made mandatory for already existing plants also, with
schemes has potential to be more fruitful as compared specific reporting requirements at regular intervals.
to efforts taken in silos.
Development of Water Management Plan:
Water Audit of thermal power plants Water It should be made mandatory for all the existing
audit is an accounting procedure to determine the and upcoming power plants to develop a detailed
actual water intake, discharge and its consumption water management plan, which should indicate the
across different processes and sub-processes of an strategies they would adopt to conserve water in-
industrial operation. Water audit helps in developing situ and ex-situ both. The detailed management
a water balance diagram for the industrial operation, plan should provide details of the strategies they
and is useful in establishing a baseline for water would adopt, along with timelines, and monitoring
usage. This baseline of water consumption guides mechanism.
the measures required for improving water use
efficiency, and provides a quantifiable indicator to Incentivizing the power plants: to encourage the
judge the success of water conservation efforts. power plants to achieve more than the prescribed
standards, some incentive mechanisms should be in
Thermal power plants across the country should place, which urges the plant to achieve more than
conduct water audit of their utilities, which will the limit set which as per CEA report is possible.
help them in understanding the specific water This could be in the form of subsidy on water tariff,
consumption and degree of water use efficiency or some award system to acknowledge the water
in their operations. Water audit also helps to find conscious power plants.
avenues of increasing water use efficiency like
identifying the points of water leakages and over Conclusion
flows, which needs to be completely eliminated from
the plant’s operational cycle. Guidelines given by the government for the power
plants to reduce their specific water consumption is a
Mandating zero liquid discharge (ZLD): ZLD has positive step to solve the intensifying water crisis. Also,
been made mandatory for upcoming power plants standard TOR for EIA is a striking example indicating
but this should be prescribed for both the existing as the sensitivity and resolve of the government to
well as new power plants. ZLD is treatment process ensure sustainable water security for the population
whichtreatsall thewastewaterproduced by theentity of the country. However, considering the future water
and recycles and reused in the premises, leaving zero demand, energy production scenarios and unavoidable
discharge at the end. Treated wastewater depending water consumption by thermal power plants, it is
on its quality can be reused for auxiliary usage within necessary to move beyond the reduction of specific
the power plant. ZLD process has the potential water consumption, and take necessary steps to reduce
to reduce the water foot-print inside the plant overall water footprints of thermal power plants in the
premises, and help lessen the burden on fresh water country. An approach involving Integrated Watershed
resources outside the plant premises. Budge Budge Management by thermal power plants offers such an
power plant of Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation opportunity which could play a significant role not only
(CESC) and Torangallu power plant, Karnataka are in reducing water stress but also in reducing negative
economic, social and environmental externalities, on a
longer term perspective.
DECEMBER 2016 7
Alignment of CSR activities with other ongoing some notable examples indicating the possibility of
government programs: Government of India ZLD implementation by existing plants also.
is executing many schemes related to watershed
development, micro-irrigation and alternative Water Resource Impact Assessment (WRIA)
cropping systems improving the income of farmers. for existing plants: Recent standard TORs for EIA
These schemes are generally run by the local by thermal power plants prescribes hydro-geological
authorities including Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), assessment by an agency of repute to be part of EIA
district collectors etc. Association of industries in the for environmental clearance. However, broadening
execution of these schemes will optimize the use of the scope of hydro-geological assessment, WRIA
financial resources and accelerate the achievement should be made an integral part of power plant’s
of targets, while avoiding any duplication of efforts. standard operating procedures. WRIA should be
Convergence of CSR activities with the government made mandatory for already existing plants also, with
schemes has potential to be more fruitful as compared specific reporting requirements at regular intervals.
to efforts taken in silos.
Development of Water Management Plan:
Water Audit of thermal power plants Water It should be made mandatory for all the existing
audit is an accounting procedure to determine the and upcoming power plants to develop a detailed
actual water intake, discharge and its consumption water management plan, which should indicate the
across different processes and sub-processes of an strategies they would adopt to conserve water in-
industrial operation. Water audit helps in developing situ and ex-situ both. The detailed management
a water balance diagram for the industrial operation, plan should provide details of the strategies they
and is useful in establishing a baseline for water would adopt, along with timelines, and monitoring
usage. This baseline of water consumption guides mechanism.
the measures required for improving water use
efficiency, and provides a quantifiable indicator to Incentivizing the power plants: to encourage the
judge the success of water conservation efforts. power plants to achieve more than the prescribed
standards, some incentive mechanisms should be in
Thermal power plants across the country should place, which urges the plant to achieve more than
conduct water audit of their utilities, which will the limit set which as per CEA report is possible.
help them in understanding the specific water This could be in the form of subsidy on water tariff,
consumption and degree of water use efficiency or some award system to acknowledge the water
in their operations. Water audit also helps to find conscious power plants.
avenues of increasing water use efficiency like
identifying the points of water leakages and over Conclusion
flows, which needs to be completely eliminated from
the plant’s operational cycle. Guidelines given by the government for the power
plants to reduce their specific water consumption is a
Mandating zero liquid discharge (ZLD): ZLD has positive step to solve the intensifying water crisis. Also,
been made mandatory for upcoming power plants standard TOR for EIA is a striking example indicating
but this should be prescribed for both the existing as the sensitivity and resolve of the government to
well as new power plants. ZLD is treatment process ensure sustainable water security for the population
whichtreatsall thewastewaterproduced by theentity of the country. However, considering the future water
and recycles and reused in the premises, leaving zero demand, energy production scenarios and unavoidable
discharge at the end. Treated wastewater depending water consumption by thermal power plants, it is
on its quality can be reused for auxiliary usage within necessary to move beyond the reduction of specific
the power plant. ZLD process has the potential water consumption, and take necessary steps to reduce
to reduce the water foot-print inside the plant overall water footprints of thermal power plants in the
premises, and help lessen the burden on fresh water country. An approach involving Integrated Watershed
resources outside the plant premises. Budge Budge Management by thermal power plants offers such an
power plant of Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation opportunity which could play a significant role not only
(CESC) and Torangallu power plant, Karnataka are in reducing water stress but also in reducing negative
economic, social and environmental externalities, on a
longer term perspective.
DECEMBER 2016 7
