Mumbai News: BMC’s Middle Vaitarna Dam Hybrid Renewable Energy Project Nears Forest Dept Approval, Aims To Generate 26.5 MW

Mumbai: The BMC’s long-awaited plan to generate hybrid renewable energy at the Middle Vaitarna Dam is finally progressing. The civic body expects to receive Stage 2 clearance from the Forest Department within the next 15 days.

The project aims to generate 26.5 MW of hybrid electricity, with power production likely to begin in about 2.5 years. Once operational, it is expected to save the BMC approximately Rs. 9 crore annually.

The Middle Vaitarna Dam supplies 455 million litres of water daily to Mumbai, accounting for about 11% of the city’s total water supply. The reservoir has a total storage capacity of 1.93 lakh million litres.

The BMC has signed a power purchase agreement with Vaitarna Solar Hydro Power Genco Company to set up solar and hydroelectric power generation at the site. The civic body has already received environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

“We are currently awaiting state government approval to transfer 4.90 hectares of land for the project, which we expect within the next 15 days. Once the clearance is received, work on setting up the necessary infrastructure will begin, depending on monsoon conditions,” said a senior civic official.

As of now, the civic body plans to generate a total of 26.5 MW of hybrid power. The hydroelectric component will produce 20 MW using two 10 MW generators, while the solar power project is expected to generate 6.5 MW of electricity.

"Our initial plan was to generate 100 MW of electricity, but since ensuring water supply is the BMC’s top priority, we cannot take that risk right now. Currently, only 6.5 MW of solar power will be generated. In the future, when advanced technology becomes available, we plan to increase the power generation capacity," an official added.

This project will use floating solar technology, covering an area of 8.5 hectares on the water surface. It is based on the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model, where the service provider will be responsible for maintaining and repairing the project for 25 years from the start of operations.

"The electricity generated will be purchased at a rate of Rs 4.75 per unit. It will be transmitted to the state grid through the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company. Additionally, an agreement will be signed with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) for power purchase. This project is expected to save the BMC approximately Rs 9 crore annually, especially benefiting the Pise Panjrapur water purification centre," he said. Meanwhile, On Monday the BMC retendered for appointing independent engineers consultancy to oversee this landmark project.