Nellore, Kakinada each to get a new Waste to Energy plant

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government will soon set up two new waste-to-energy generation plants, one each in Nellore and Kakinada, to process solid waste generated by the two local bodies. Further, the government will clear legacy waste piled up in dumping yards all over AP in the last five years, municipal administration and urban development minister Ponguru Narayana underlined on Tuesday.

He said the electricity department has been entrusted to oversee establishment of these waste-to-energy plants. “Tenders will soon be floated for setting up these units at strategic locations between Nellore and Gudur, and Kakinada and Rajahmundry,” he disclosed.

Narayana revealed that the state government is exploring the option to establish a similar plant in Kadapa-Anantapur-Kurnool region for catering to the needs of local bodies in the area.

According to the minister, Andhra Pradesh generates 6,890 metric tonnes of solid waste daily in its local bodies. Of this, 2,169 metric tonnes — 31 per cent of the total — is processed at the two existing waste-to-energy plants in Guntur and Visakhapatnam. The Guntur plant alone treats 1,200 metric tonnes of waste daily generated by Guntur and Vijayawada municipal corporations, apart from Tenali, Narasaraopet, Chilakaluripet and Bapatla municipalities.

Narayana inspected the Jindal Urban Waste Management (Guntur) Limited in Guntur, along with AP Swachh Andhra Corporation chairman Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram and others. “By establishing waste-to-energy plants in Kakinada and Nellore, government will be able to process 52 per cent of the waste generated daily by local bodies. Once the proposed plant in Kadapa-Anantapur-Kurnool region starts, the state will ensure that 70 per cent of waste generated in the state is treated,” he said.

The minister explained that the TD-led alliance government envisaged setting up of 13 waste management plants in all the erstwhile 13 districts of the state after studying the best waste-processing units in Singapore and Tokyo.

He accused the previous YSRC government of turning a blind eye towards establishing even a single waste management plant. This has led to 85 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste piling up in the state’s dumping yards.

“Our government has cleared 45 lakh metric tonnes of this legacy waste. We are working to clear the remaining 40 lakh metric tonnes by October 2, 2025,” Narayana added.