The Coimbatore Corporation has submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a ₹70 crore waste-to-energy plant at the Vellalore landfill site and is awaiting approval for a 20 MW solar power plant on 50 acres of reclaimed land.
According to Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabhakaran, the waste-to-energy plant will process 600 tonnes of dry waste daily, generating 8,000 units of electricity per month. Officials are yet to decide whether to supply power to the electricity board or use it internally.
A similar plant in Delhi that processes 2,010 tonnes per day (TPD) was inspected for reference. The primary focus is waste management, with energy generation as a secondary benefit. The solar power plant is expected to cover 90% of Coimbatore Corporation’s high-tension (HT) energy consumption.
Biomining & Environmental Restoration
To tackle legacy waste and pollution, the second phase of biomining will begin soon, aiming to recover 70-75 acres within two years. Additionally, the corporation has planted 2,000 tree saplings near the landfill boundary and plans to plant 500 more using the Miyawaki method.
The ₹58.5 crore biomining project, funded under the Swachh Bharat Mission, aims to clear 7.94 lakh tonnes of legacy waste. The first phase, completed in 2023, reclaimed 54 acres, which will now house the proposed solar power plant.
