Uniform emission norms for thermal plants impractical: Power ministry tells environment ministry | Economic Times

New Delhi: Uniform emission norms for coal-based power plants are impractical and India should instead adopt a graded implementation approach aimed at maintaining good air quality across the country, the power ministry has told the environment ministry.The power ministry has suggested that the environment ministry review deadlines for installation of pollution-control equipment by thermal power plants by prioritising areas with high-risk air quality, a senior official told ET.The power ministry’s communication is a deviation from the environment ministry's 2015 notification that had set air pollution standards for thermal power plants. Based on this notification, the Supreme Court had ordered closure of power plants that fail to install the equipment as per a phased plan.Based on the representation from Association of Power Producers, the power ministry had sought a two-year extension in the deadline for about 330 units with over 100GW capacity, saying it “was earlier fixed considering normal circumstances”.The official said the power ministry has now told the environment ministry that it should target ambient air quality across the country, rather than having same norms for thermal power plants located in critically polluted area and remote areas.The power ministry’s recommendation is based on a concept paper on ambient air quality near thermal power stations. The paper by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is based on air quality and other data collected over a one-year period and a study conducted by IIT Kanpur.ET had reported on October 21 last year that the CEA report suggested that a large capacity of thermal power plants in India may not require implementation of equipment to curb emission of poisonous sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide gases.The power ministry has also told the environment ministry that simultaneous ordering and contracting of emission-control gear by all power plants could lead to an artificial surge in equipment prices.Graded ordering, on the other hand, could prevent increase in power prices by avoiding unnecessary burden on power plants, the report suggested, adding that plants in areas with less SOX and NOX do not need additional equipment to control such emissions in the near future.It also said that the Centre’s Atma Nirbhar Bharat scheme to promote indigenous manufacturers will get a boost if emission-control gear implementation is spread over the next few years. The concept paper said that a large number of thermal power stations in India are located in remote areas.The official said local equipment manufacturers are not in a position to meet the expected demand for flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) units that cut emissions of sulphur dioxide, as it involves a lot of civil work and would require a large EPC contractor base.