Bidadi Waste-to-Energy Plant Generates 11.5 MW of Electricity Daily, Says BSWML CEO

The Bidadi waste-to-energy plant near Bengaluru generates 11.5 MW of electricity daily from 600 tonnes of dry waste. Built at a cost of ₹314.74 crore, the facility can power up to 25,000 homes, says BSWML CEO Karigowda.

Bengaluru: If Bengaluru’s residents strictly segregate wet and dry waste at the source, electricity generated from this waste could power as many as one lakh homes, according to Karigowda, Chief Executive Officer of the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Company. He made this statement after visiting and inspecting the waste-to-energy plant established in Bidadi, a joint initiative of the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL).

Plant Built At A Cost Of ₹314.74 Crore

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Karigowda said the Bidadi plant was constructed at a cost of ₹314.74 crore. Over the past week, it has been receiving around 200 tonnes of dry waste daily, generating approximately 4 megawatts of electricity.

“If the plant receives 600 tonnes of dry waste per day, as per its full capacity, it can generate 11.5 megawatts of power daily, enough to supply electricity to nearly 25,000 homes, assuming an average household consumption of 5 units,” he explained.

He further added that if the city’s waste were completely segregated and supplied, three additional plants of similar capacity could be established to collectively power one lakh homes.

Focus On Plastic Waste Management

Karigowda noted that about 35% of Bengaluru’s waste comprises plastic. Recyclable plastics are processed through dry waste collection centres, while low-grade, non-recyclable plastics are diverted to the Bidadi plant for energy generation.

400 Tonnes Of Waste Supplied From Mandur

Currently, around 400 tonnes of waste per day from the old waste management facilities and dry waste collection centres in Mandur are being sent to the Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) plant.

“In total, about 600 tonnes of waste, including 200 tonnes of plastic and segregated dry waste from households, is being supplied to the Bidadi plant daily. The goal is to increase this to 500 tonnes of dry waste from household collections by the end of November,” he said.

Pollution-Free Power Generation

According to KPCL Executive Engineer Satish Kumar, the Bidadi plant, spread across 163 acres, is the first of its kind in Karnataka and among 10 such plants across India.

He emphasised that electricity is being generated from Bengaluru’s waste without causing pollution. Additionally, there are plans to reuse dust residues from the power generation process for road construction. Samples have already been sent to a laboratory in Delhi for testing and quality evaluation, he added.

Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Company’s Chief Operating Officer Ramamani and other officials were also present during the inspection.