Why coal plants will continue to spit fire
, TNN|
Updated: Nov 17, 2017, 11.29 AM IST
NEW DELHI: The deadline for implementing new emission norms for thermal power plants as notified by the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change two years ago is just a month away. But the Union power ministry is not yet ready to comply with the new standards, citing inadequate space for pollution control equipment and the high costs involved.
“There has been very little progress so far even though two years were given to the power sector to comply and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is now recommending that power plants be given another five years to comply with the new norms,” pointed out a Centre for Science and Environment official on Thursday.
CSE has requested the environment ministry and the Central Pollution Control Board not to accept the fresh timelines proposed by the power ministry and CEA. “If the coal-based power plants do not comply with the new emission norms, power will come at the cost of human health,” said Priyavrat Bhati, programme director (energy), CSE.
The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, amended in 2015 had set a deadline of December 2017 to meet stricter norms for emissions of particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury to cut pollutants at coal-based power plants by around 70%. The rules had has set limits to the volume of water usage by thermal power plants.
There are 27 coal-fired power plants in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP. Emission from such plants is a major source of particulate matter, and Delhi suffers because of this. Wind often blows particles emitted by the plants in the vicinity into the national capital and aggravates the pollution problem. “Wind movements can cause pollutants generated by these power plants to travel as far as 400km from the source,” an expert pointed out.
Bhati said it was inexplicable why the new standards hadn’t been put into operation yet. “CEA’s own reports show that issues raised by the coal-based power industry — lack of technology suppliers, suitability of technology for Indian coal, high capital costs and tariff impact of the pollution control technology measures — can be easily managed and are not serious impediments,” said Bhati.
The bulk of the coal being used in the power plants in and around Delhi is raw coal, with a negligible component of washed coal. Indian coal thermal plants are globally considered to be extremely inefficient and highly polluting. Elsewhere in the world, including in China, coal plants have adopted effective pollution control technologies.
Considering the gravity of the problem, environment experts advocate aggressive timelines for compliance, with plants located in densely populated areas on priority “The emission standards can be met with less than 3% annual increase in electricity tariff for the next three years,” said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE. “This is a low price to pay for health and environmental benefits.”
“There has been very little progress so far even though two years were given to the power sector to comply and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is now recommending that power plants be given another five years to comply with the new norms,” pointed out a Centre for Science and Environment official on Thursday.
CSE has requested the environment ministry and the Central Pollution Control Board not to accept the fresh timelines proposed by the power ministry and CEA. “If the coal-based power plants do not comply with the new emission norms, power will come at the cost of human health,” said Priyavrat Bhati, programme director (energy), CSE.
The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, amended in 2015 had set a deadline of December 2017 to meet stricter norms for emissions of particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury to cut pollutants at coal-based power plants by around 70%. The rules had has set limits to the volume of water usage by thermal power plants.
There are 27 coal-fired power plants in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP. Emission from such plants is a major source of particulate matter, and Delhi suffers because of this. Wind often blows particles emitted by the plants in the vicinity into the national capital and aggravates the pollution problem. “Wind movements can cause pollutants generated by these power plants to travel as far as 400km from the source,” an expert pointed out.
Bhati said it was inexplicable why the new standards hadn’t been put into operation yet. “CEA’s own reports show that issues raised by the coal-based power industry — lack of technology suppliers, suitability of technology for Indian coal, high capital costs and tariff impact of the pollution control technology measures — can be easily managed and are not serious impediments,” said Bhati.
The bulk of the coal being used in the power plants in and around Delhi is raw coal, with a negligible component of washed coal. Indian coal thermal plants are globally considered to be extremely inefficient and highly polluting. Elsewhere in the world, including in China, coal plants have adopted effective pollution control technologies.
Considering the gravity of the problem, environment experts advocate aggressive timelines for compliance, with plants located in densely populated areas on priority “The emission standards can be met with less than 3% annual increase in electricity tariff for the next three years,” said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE. “This is a low price to pay for health and environmental benefits.”
(This article was originally published in The Times of India)
