Plans are afoot to set up solar panels on water reservoirs, pump houses to generate clean energy
Hyderabad: Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) plans to go the green way and generate clean energy by setting up solar panels on water reservoirs, pump houses and turbines in water pipelines.
To begin with, measures are being made to set up solar panels on the water reservoirs and pump houses across the city. This apart, plans are afoot to set up turbines in the River Krishna water pipelines and the Ring Main circumnavigating the Outer Ring Road.
This initiative comes after Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao’s instructions to the water board during a meeting to review the progress of HUDCO and ORR projects in July. Rao wanted the officials to explore the possibilities of setting up solar panels on reservoirs.
Accordingly, the HWMSSB roped in Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation (TSREDCO) to conduct a study and submit a report on the feasibility of setting up solar panels on the reservoirs and pump houses.
To this effect, 50 reservoirs and 15 pump houses have been identified for the project. In addition to preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), TSREDCO will also float tenders for identifying an agency to execute the project. The water board will have to provide land and purchase power at much reduced power, said a senior official from HMWSSB adding that the DPR is ready and is likely to be submitted in a few days.
“In the first phase, we want to take up the project involving 50 reservoirs and 15 pump houses to generate 30 MW of solar power. Based on the outcome, the project will be expanded further. We will be the first Board in the country to take up such project,” said the official.
HMWSSB requires about 180 MW of power per month for operating pump houses and distribution of water.
In tune with the solar power, all efforts are also being made to generate power using turbines in the water pipelines. The turbines will be set up in the pipelines and when water flows from an elevated place into the pipes, the turbines rotate and power is generated, official said.
There are plans to take up this project in the River Krishna line and in the Ring Main, which is being constructed around the Outer Ring Road.
Source: telanganatoday
