THEME CONSERVATION ? –
BMC shows the way with energy audits
KEM, Nair, Sion hospitals to come under scanner to check efficiency of
electrical appliances
JINAL SHAH
WITH the spectre of load shedding looming large on the city, no wonder the
BMC is going all out with its power audit. After putting its own
headquarters at CST under the scanner, it is now the turn of hospitals to
pass through the energy scanner.
Hence, three Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation-run hospitals-B Y L Nair
Hospital in Mumbai Central, King Edward Memorial Hospital in Parel and
Lokmanaya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion-will now have to undergo
an energy audit. The BMC has set aside a budget of Rs 2 crore for the energy
efficiency study, to be conducted by its Electrical and Mechanical
Department.
The audit aims to evaluate the efficiency of electrical appliances in these
hospitals and find ways to control their usage-conservation is a theme that
has been doing the rounds of the city which is grappling with an average
demand of 2,500 MW.
“According to the Energy Act of 2003, any government building which consumes
more than 500 KW has to undergo an energy audit. Hospitals are essential
service providers, so we cannot reduce or cut off their electricity supply.
At the same time, they consume a major amount of electricity, so
conservation is the only option,” said Chief Engineer (Electrical and
Mechanical) P K Charankar of the BMC.
The audit, which will take place in phases, will cover all 26 BMC hospitals
in Mumbai.
The three hospitals being audited have an estimated connected load of 20 MW.
“KEM Hospital has the maximum electrical load of 8 MW, followed by Nair and
Sion hospitals which have 6 MW each. These three hospitals cater to almost
half of Mumbai’s patients,” said a source at BMC’s electrical and mechanical
department.
The audit will test appliances which consume the maximum amount of
power-ACs, lights and pumps-to check if they are functioning efficiently.
“For example, if we find air-conditioners consuming more than 40 per cent of
the total power supplied, we will have to check the AC plants. If necessary,
we will replace old machines, which tend to use more power,” said BMC
sources.
Tenders for the project have been invited from various firms. Finally, the
chosen firm will also have to impart theoretical and hands-on training on
conservation measures to the hospital technical staff once the audit is
complete.
The audit has found easy acceptance among hospital authorities as old,
worn-out gadgets will be replaced with energy efficient ones. In fact, Nair
Hospital has already begun using solar water heaters in the hospital and in
nurses’ quarters.
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