HYDERABAD: The State Government has permitted the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) to sell the processed gas (compressed biogas) generated by major Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) at Amberpet and Nagole to an authorised licenced agency for supply to HPCL, IOCL, BPCL and other similar companies.
Consequently, the HMWS&SB will consider the offer of Energon Logistics Private Limited to buy one cubic metre (cum) at Rs 1.08 for the award of the contract. This is expected to fetch a revenue of about Rs 5.95 crore over a period of 15 years which will meet partly expenditure towards Manning, Operation, and Maintenance (O&M) of STPs. The HMWS&SB will enter into an agreement with the said agency shortly.
The treatment capacity of Amberpet STP is 339 MLD while the treatment capacity of two Nagole STPs is 172 MLD and 320 MLD. The STPs are based on Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) technology. The expected average raw gas generation per year at Amberpet STP is around 18,30,000 cum per year and at Nagole STP, it’s around 7,30,000 cum per year. The expected sale of raw gas will fetch around Rs 5.95 crore over a period of 15 years and it will be part of the implementation of an action plan for the rejuvenation of polluted river stretches.
MAUD Department sources said for the rejuvenation of polluted river stretches, instructions were given by the State government to the Water Board to explore the possible additional revenues for maintenance of existing STPs through the circular economy from STPs. As part of the circular economy initiative, HMWS&SB has proposed to put to sale the Biogas generated from STPs at Amberpet and Nagol. The estimated raw gas generation at Amberpet and Nagole STPs is approximately 5,000 Cum and 2,000 Cum per day respectively.
The assessed tentative cost of the raw gas generated at STPs is Rs 1.82 per cubic metre. The Board proposed to select an agency for collecting and processing the raw biogas and sell to HPCL, IOCL, BPCL, and similar petroleum companies at their standards. The HMWS&SB invited bids last year and three bidders responded.