Water use in India's Coal Power Sector

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) invites you to a webinar to discuss the findings of its recent report -- Water inefficient power: Implementing water norms and zero discharge in India’s coal power fleet. The report has assessed the current status of compliance of India’s coal power plants with the implementation of 2015 water consumption standards. It also critically analyses the water consumption data reported by power plants to pollution control boards.

According to the 2015 norms (revised again in 2018), plants installed before January 1, 2017 were required to meet a specific water consumption limit of 3.5 cubic metres of water per MWh (cu m/MWh); plants installed after January 1, 2017 had to meet the norm of 3 cu m/MWh besides adopting zero liquid discharge. Additionally, all freshwater-based once-through cooling plants still operating in India were required to install cooling towers and subsequently achieve the norm of 3.5 cu m/MWh. All sea water-based plants were exempted from meeting the norms.

The deadline to meet the water use norms -- December 2017 -- has passed; the industry and regulatory authorities remain tight-lipped about their implementation or compliance. The coal-based thermal power sector is one of the biggest industrial users of water. There is, thus, a scope and an urgent need for action in reducing the sector’s water demand by ensuring implementation of the standards.

Do join us at the webinar to discuss and debate this critical concern.

FOR MORE ON THIS, PLEASE CONTACT

Sugandha Arora,
Deputy Programme Manager,
Industrial Pollution unit, CSE,
9953588873,
sugandha.arora@cseindia.org