THANE: In a first-of-its-kind project in the state, the Thane Municipal Corporation plans to generate

from

in the

. The project is expected to generate enough power to meet the annual requirement of over 8,000 homes, a

official said.

"The system is based on the tidal movements which happen twice a day as the water from the river flows into the creek and back. We will tap the energy present in the waves," a TMC official said. According to the plan, turbines will be installed at the confluence of the Thane creek and

.

The electricity will then be added to the central grid of the state electricity supplier and the administration will also earn revenue from it, as per a recent directive of the ministry of renewable energy.

The initiative will ensure minimal cost for the power and continuous supply through the year, unlike solar projects that don’t work during rains or night.

The TMC has readied a proposal and will seek nod from the general body later this month. A feasibility report was recently conducted by the administration. The plant will generate around 8 MW daily and around 3.4crore units a year, which is enough to power 8,000 apartments that consume around 400 units every month.

The project will be undertaken under the PPP model. The private player will create the infrastructure and operate the plant for 10 years. After recovery of the investment in five years, the private player will earn returns for the next five years. Then the project will be transferred to TMC.

According to MSEDCL, there are 7.69 lakh domestic consumers in Thane zone, which includes the lake city and its peripheral areas. The zone has an annual demand of around 846.36 million units.