Karnataka’s first Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant to be inaugurated in Bidadi

Karnataka Energy Minister KJ George has reviewed the progress of the southern state’s first Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant in Bidadi town situated on Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, and has held that it will be inaugurated in July.

The Bidadi plant that covers 15 acres & has a capacity of 11.5 MW, will process up to 600 tonnes of dry waste daily. This project, a joint venture between KPCL and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), aims to address the city’s waste disposal problems while generating energy. The plant, which cost Rs 260 crore to set up, is expected to begin trial runs in the first week of July.

First Gas To Power Project in Bengaluru

The Karnataka Government’s Energy Department has announced that the state’s first gas-based power plant will commence operations by the second week of July. Located in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, the Yelahanka Combined Cycle Power Plant (YCCPP) will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Set up by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), the plant is expected to generate 236.825 MW through a gas turbine generator and 133.225 MW through a steam turbine generator, totaling a capacity of 370.05 MW. Energy Minister KJ George, after reviewing the project’s progress in Bengaluru, urged officials to expedite the remaining work to ensure timely completion.

He held that the gas to power project is significant for his government and KPCL, and it’s a matter of pride that a government organization will produce gas-based electricity for the first time in the state.

The project’s foundation was laid in 2016 with an expected completion by 2018, but it faced delays due to legal issues stemming from local residents’ pollution concerns, particularly regarding its proximity to Puttenahalli and Yelahanka lakes. During trial runs in March, residents and activists raised environmental concerns.

KPCL has now assured that all safety precautions were in place, including mobile vans to monitor ambient air quality and real-time noise monitoring machines.