UJVNL to modernise sugar mills, co-produce power

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 26

Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) has accepted the proposal to modernise Bajpur (Udham Singh Nagar) and Nadehi (Jaspur) sugar mills and co-generate electricity for running their plants.

Earlier the Department of Cane Sugar was looking for private players to start the bagasse-fired co-generation units at the Bajpur and Nadehi sugar mills but the proposal did not materialise. However, the UJVNL has now agreed to take up the co-generation responsibility. “We were unable to rope in a private party to work on the proposal. However, the nigam has agreed to take up the project. The board has already passed our proposal and now, the Cabinet approval is needed,” said Virender Rawat, Additional Secretary, Department of Cane Sugar.

Sugar, bagasse, ethanol and molasses are the byproducts of extracted sugarcane. Most of the sugar mills use their own bagasse during the season and generate steam to run boilers and turbines. They also generate power to run their plants. The surplus energy produced can be released to the state grid. As of now, the mills are producing insufficient power due to outdated and old machines and turbines.

Besides co-generation, the UJVNL will also be mandated to modernise machines so that additional revenue could be earned by selling power to the state grid. This could pay for the modernisation of the mills.

“The power generation from sugarcane offers a renewable energy option that promotes sustainable development,” said Rawat.

The department is expected to produce around 20 MW at the Bajpur plant with modernisation efforts. The tentative cost of modernisation is pegged at Rs 160 crore. After the Bajpur sugar mill, the Nadehi sugar mill will be the next where 16 MW can be produced. The tentative cost of modernisation of the Nadehi plant is estimated at around Rs 130 crore.

There are five sugar mills in Uttarakhand and out of these two are in the cooperative sector and the remaining three in the private sector. The Uttarakhand government closed down the Gadarpur sugar mill (cooperative sector) in 2015.