POWERING PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SCHEMES WITH SOLAR PV IN MAHARASHTRA

The Mula Pravara Electric Co-operative Society approached WISE for assistance in assessing feasibility of powering public water supply schemes under its jurisdiction from solar based power. The public water supply schemes typically lift water from the reservoir and then pump to the water treatment plant for purification and then to overhead tanks for further distribution to the public. Huge electricity is consumed in the pumping application by these public water supply schemes. Further, the electricity bills are being paid through public contributions collected at gram panchayat levels. WISE thus prepared a DPR for installation of captive solar power plants of more than 2.5 MW located at different locations in Ahmednagar district, to solve the high electricity consumption problem.