PCMC’s Moshi waste-to-energy plant redefines urban waste mgmt
Pimpri-Chinchwad (Maharashtra): The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) waste-to-energy plant at Moshi has emerged as a major stride toward sustainable urban development, converting municipal solid waste into electricity while sharply reducing dependence on landfills.
The facility processes nearly 1,000 tonnes of solid waste daily and generates up to 14 megawatts (MW) of power, officials said. Located within the Moshi solid waste management complex, the plant treats non-recyclable dry waste collected from across the city through a controlled thermal process to produce electricity.
“This project is a critical step in scientific waste management and sustainable energy generation,” a senior PCMC official said.
According to civic authorities, approximately 2 MW of the power generated is consumed for in-house plant operations, while the remaining electricity is supplied to municipal utilities. Of the total power generated, around 2 MW is used for in-house plant operations, while the remaining electricity is supplied to municipal utilities.
The facility operates through automated systems that regulate combustion temperature, steam generation and turbine performance to ensure stable power output. Continuous emission monitoring systems have been installed to ensure compliance with environmental norms.
Officials stressed that efficient operations depend heavily on proper waste segregation at the source. Waste is collected from door-to-door, with households segregating wet and dry waste. Additional mechanical sorting at the plant diverts recyclable material before energy recovery.
As part of its long-term waste management strategy, PCMC is planning second waste to energy plant of capacity 1000 TPD of RDF, 27 MW followed by 1500 TPD MRF facility, 375 TPD Biogas plant and a 300-tonnes-per-day biochar plant at the Moshi complex. The proposed facility will process organic and garden waste to produce biochar.
“There is a clear roadmap to expand waste-to-resource initiatives,” Chief Engineer, ENV Sanjay Kulkarni said. “Our objective is to minimize landfill use and strengthen the city’s renewable energy portfolio.”
