Asia’s Biggest Sewage Pumping Station In Mumbai Capped By A ‘Solar Plant’

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which is the civic body of Mumbai has announced that it has successfully installed a solar power generation plant over a sewage pumping station (SPS). The Mumbai civic body said that the new solar power installation has come up over the largest SPS which is situated at Mahim Causeway.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said that the capacity of the solar power project is 230 kw. This facility will be generating more than 30,000 units of electricity each month.

This quantum of green energy is enough to save about Rs 2.40 lakh for the civic body each month. BMC held in its official statement, “The project will help curb more than 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over the next 25 years. Its environmental impact is equal to planting 11,000 trees.”

The Mumbai civic authority also said that the cost incurred on the construction of the solar power plant was Rs 1.5 crore. It will have a life of 25 years. It said that the cost incurred on the solar project will be recovered in the coming 6 years.

The Mahim Causeway-based solid waste pumping station, touted to be Asia’s largest, was built in 2003. Sewage from the city, its western and eastern suburbs is pumped from the facility which has eight pumps.

Last year, BMC came up with the Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP) aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. According to the document, Mumbai could produce 1,724 MW of solar power. This, BMC says, can meet half of the city’s peak energy demand which currently stands at 3600 MW that occurs in summers.

The report says that rooftop solar installations in residential buildings alone can generate upto 1300 MW followed by government buildings at 223 MW and educational institutions at 71 MW.

BMC is also installing rooftop solar panels on street toilet blocks in Goregaon area and other areas of Mumbai in a bid to maximise the utility of space and clean energy.