India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued an advisory requiring thermal power plants to conduct comprehensive annual water audits. This initiative aims to track water usage, identify avoidable losses, and enhance recycling and reuse across plant operations. The directive comes amid increasing water stress in India, exacerbated by concerns over below-normal monsoon rainfall, which affects river flows, reservoir levels, and groundwater availability.
Thermal power plants rely heavily on freshwater for cooling and other processes, making declining water availability a significant operational challenge. India’s National Water Policy prioritizes water for drinking and agriculture over industrial use, intensifying competition for this resource. The National Water Mission has also set a target to improve water-use efficiency by 20 percent by 2027.
A 2021 study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealed that nearly half of India’s surveyed coal-based power capacity was non-compliant with prescribed water-consumption norms, with many plants located in water-scarce regions. These plants have previously faced shutdowns or reduced generation due to water shortages, particularly during summers when demand rises alongside water scarcity.
The CEA’s advisory emphasizes that water audits should go beyond mere consumption reporting to establish a complete water balance, detailing usage, losses, and reuse opportunities. The advisory also highlights the importance of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) requirements for plants commissioned after 2016, aiming to prevent wastewater discharge and maximize internal recycling.
Source: Down To Earth