Govt approves waste-to-energy plant in Kannahalli

As the city stares at a garbage crisis and the landfill in Bellahalli reaching saturation point, the state government on Wednesday approved to set up a waste-to-energy plant in Kannahalli on the outskirts of the city.

The government has approved the plant for the next 30 years, where the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is expected to treat 500 tonnes of municipal solid waste to 40 megawatts (MW) energy daily.

The BBMP officials claim that every 100 tonnes of waste can generate seven to eight MW of energy. The civic body will not invest money in the project. The company that will set up the plant will carry out the entire operation and the Palike will supply 500 tonnes of waste to the plant everyday.

According to the previous MoU signed by the BBMP, the company that generates the energy will sell electricity to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) and the power supplied by the plant will be connected to Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTCL) grid.

Satheram Enterprises, which has set up similar plants in other states, will be establishing the plant in Kannahalli.

The previous coalition government had signed an MoU with three companies to set up waste-to-energy plants in Kannahalli (currently approved), Chikkanagamangala and Doddabidarikallu, which are yet to take off.

According to BBMP’s records, the city generates 4,500 tonnes of garbage. The civic body has set up seven waste treatment plants in Kannahalli (500 tonnes per day), Chikkanagamangala (500 TPD), KCDC (500 TPD), Sigehalli (150 TPD), Lingenahalli (200 TPD), Doddabidarikallu (200 TPD) and Subbarayanapura (200 TPD), making it to be the overall 2,100 tonnes of garbage treated everyday.