The first desalination plant in India to produce one lakh litres freshwater per day based on low temperature thermal desalination principle commissioned in Kavaratti.

The Plant will use "Low Temperature Thermal Desalination" technology. In this method relatively warm water is flashed inside a vacuum flash chamber and the resultant vapour is condensed using cold water.

The temperature difference which exists between the warm surface sea water (28 to 30 degrees Celsius) and deep sea cold water (7 to15 degrees Celsius) would be effectively utilized to produce potable water apart from power generation, air conditioning and aquaculture.

This technology has been utilized in the first ever low temperature thermal desalination plant which has been commissioned at Kavaratti. The plant is housed in a structure on the shore. The bathymetry at the island is such that 13 degrees Celsius water is available at a depth of 350m at a distance around 400m from the shore. The cold water is brought to the surface through a 600m long pipe. The technology was first demonstrated in a pilot project of 5000 liter/day at Chennai and is now being used for the first 100,000 liter/day plant at Kavaratti. The cost of desalination would be around 25 paise per litre and will progressively cost less as the capacity is increased.