11 coal-based power plants around Capital not complying with emission norms: Study
The analysis, released on Sunday, said that out of the 11 plants, all but one were exceeding the sulphur dioxide (SO2) norms
The 11 coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs) that fall within a 300-km radius of Delhi are not complying with emission control norms and are likely contributing to the prevailing high pollution levels in the national capital region (NCR), according to a new analysis carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The analysis, released on Sunday, said that out of the 11 plants, all but one were exceeding the sulphur dioxide (SO2) norms, three were exceeding the particulate matter (PM) norms, four were found exceeding nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission norms and five were not maintaining adequate emissions data in the public domain.
The study also said that only two plants were using flue-gas desulfurisation (FGD) — a technology mandated by the Union environment ministry to be installed to reduce SO2 emissions. HT had reported earlier this week how nine of these plants have missed at least four deadlines to switch to this technology, the first of which came in December 2017.
Eleven coal-based thermal power plants fall within Delhi’s 300-km radius — Indira Gandhi super thermal power project, Mahatma Gandhi thermal power station (TPS), Panipat TPS, Rajiv Gandhi TPS, Yamuna Nagar TPS (all Haryana), Rajpura thermal power plant (TPP), Talwandi Sabo TPP, Guru Hargobind TPS, Ropar TPS (all Punjab), and Dadri TPS and Harduaganj TPS. Currently, FGD technology is installed only at the Mahatma Gandhi TPS and the Dadri TPS.
“Delhi and NCR cannot meet the clean air benchmark and protect public health if the continuous sources of pollution like thermal power plants remain high emitters. These plants have not been able to meet the standards and are at varying stages of progress simply because the target dates for compliance are shifting continually,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at CSE.
The analysis is based on the environmental status reports of these plants accessed from Central Electricity Authority (CEA) website, a technical arm of the Union ministry of power, from April 2022 to August 2023.
Data showed that among the 11 plants, three — Harduaganj, Panipat and Guru Hargobind TPPs — were reporting “very high” suspended PM emissions. Meanwhile, NOx norms were not being met by Panipat, Rajiv Gandhi TPP, Yamunanagar TPP and Guru Hargobind TPP.
In the case of SO2, Mahatma Gandhi TPP was the only power plant in NCR where the norms were within the prescribed limit. Dadri TPP, the other plant that has FGD in place, still reported SO2 readings above the permissible standard 86% of the time during the reporting period. All TPPs reported SO2 emissions up to three times over the prescribed limits, the report added.
“The reason could be either FGDs not in service or of inadequate capacity, or very high sulphur content of the coal being used,” the report said.
DD Basu, former director, Central Pollution Control Board said, “SO2 is a reactive gas and converts to sulphates in the form of fine PM2.5 which poses an even greater risk to health and environment. Therefore, control of SO2 is crucial from the perspective of controlling PM emissions.”
In 2015, the Ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC) introduced stringent emission norms for coal-fired TPPs. The emissions from TPP travel long distances and affect atmospheric concentrations. None of the plants met the initial deadline of 2017 end and only two — Dadri and Mahatma Gandhi TPPs — met the second deadline of 2019 end. Once the deadline elapsed, no action was initiated against these power generators for not abiding by the notification. Like earlier, the deadline was extended once more, this time till 2022 by the MoEF&CC.
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