KOCHI: The much-awaited Rs 295-crore waste-to-energy plant at Brahmapuram here will become a reality by the first leg of 2021 as GJ Eco Power Private Ltd, entrusted with the task of setting up the facility. has already started the groundwork at the proposed site.
Giby George, managing director, GJ Eco Power Private Ltd, said the plant will be commissioned in multiple phases. “ In Phase I, the land will be prepared for the civil work which will be completed by July 2020. And Phase II involves setting up the material recovery facility which is scheduled to get over by February 2021. Commissioning of waste storage, drying and material recovery facilities too will be completed during this period. Besides, the site utilities, sewage and water treatment plant installation will start alongside. The final phase will be the installation and commissioning of the power plant and will take another six months after the commissioning of the plant,” said Giby.
To optimise the project execution plan, the company has roped in Germany-based Steag Energy as the engineering partner and project management company. “ The work on preparing the land has already begun, with piling work and construction scheduled to begin in January. A 30-member project execution team is working from our office at Kakkanad and another 11 European engineers are working from our UK and German office to speed up the project. The plant will start accepting waste supply from the corporation by February 2021,” added Giby.
Meanwhile, the delay encountered in implementing the project — though GJ Eco Power had won the bid to set up the plant in 2016, securing the nod from the Ministry of Environment and Forests as well as the mandatory clearances from the State Pollution Control Board held up the top priority PPP project — has led to cost escalation of nearly Rs 40 crore to the company.
“We have suffered a major financial burden since our team, which comprises global experts, including experienced engineers, had started project-related activities immediately after the contract was awarded. The nearly four-year delay created a significant increase in the equipment capital cost and project development cost. The handover of land itself took more than 1,000 days. The PPA was signed only in May 2019. Environmental clearance was the last hurdle and this was obtained in October 2019. All the necessary permits and clearances could be obtained only in November this year,” Giby said.
However, the delay turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the city residents as the company has upgraded the equipment. “ Due to the delay in obtaining land as well as securing the necessary permits and clearances, we have upgraded the equipment models to the latest version,” Giby said.
Delay boon in disguise
The nearly four-year delay in project implementation has been a blessing in disguise for residents. “Due to the delay in obtaining land and securing permits, we have upgraded the equipment models to the latest version,” the MD of GJ Eco Power said.
