Muktsar (Punjab), Dec. 8 : An independent mini thermal power plant being run on agriculture waste in Mutksar District of southwest Punjab, has motivated the local authorities to promote such initiatives.

The agriculture waste, which was earlier destroyed by Punjab farmers, is now being utilized to generate a good income here at the mini-Thermal Power Plant.

Spread over 30 acres, this mini 6-megawatt thermal power plant generates 160,000 units of electricity everyday which is sold to Punjab State Electricity Board for further distribution.

The thermal power plant is not only helping in handling the power crisis in the state but also generating revenue for the farmers and in providing employment to local residents.

Over 200 farmers and labourers have benefited from this initiative.

At `Malwa Thermal Plant'', the only independent power plant of Punjab, 2,500 quintals of agriculture waste are required every day to generate electricity. For this, the by-products, sold at three dollars per quintal, are processed and placed in a boiler to generate steam.

This use of agriculture waste as `fuel'' in power generation also helps in keeping the environment clean.

B. S. Jangra, Senior Manager, Malwa Power Plant, said: "The availability of biomass through this plant is made at least in the 100 km periphery of the surrounding areas. Major fuels that we are using in this plant are cotton sticks. This is the first plant in the State, which is called as independent power plant, which is producing power through putting sector and selling power to the Punjab State Electricity Board. On the same lines, the Punjab Energy Development Agency, Chandigarh has motivated the other entrepreneurs to install such plants."

The Punjab government is exploring ways of increasing its power generation capacity by promoting mini thermal power plants.

Malkiat Singh, Executive Engineer, Punjab State Electricity Board, Muktsar, said: " More of such mini plants should come up in other areas. With more such mini-plants the transmission losses would be minimized. Reduction in transmission supply will help in reducing losses. People will benefit from mini thermal plants and electricity production will go up. The government is also promoting compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, which consume less electricity. If people start using CFL bulbs, the consumption of electricity will be reduced. Government''s priority is to slash the consumption of electricity."

Punjab has a power requirement of 11,000 MW, of which around 6,000 MW is sourced from within the state.

At present, Punjab generates a little more than half the power it needs, and mini thermal plants can help meet the required shortfall.

Such initiatives will not only help Punjab, but the entire nation to overcome the power crisis, which has been identified as a key infrastructure bottleneck. (ANI)