Lok Sabha Question No. 4675 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-30
Subject: Efficiency of Coal based Power Plants
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: SHASHI THAROOR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4675 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2017

## EFFICIENCY OF COAL BASED POWER PLANTS

4675. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that studies done by the Centre for Science and Environment have shown that the efficiency of India's coal based power  plants  is  one  of  the  lowest  among  major  coal-based  thermal  power generating countries;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to take any measures to improve the efficiency of these plants while at the same time improving the air quality in the vicinity of these plants;
- (d) if  so,  the details thereof including budgetary allocations for the same; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

( SHRI  PIYUSH GOYAL )

(a) & (b) : The  efficiency of  Thermal  Power  Plants in the country is comparatively lower than other countries due to inferior quality of coal and higher ambient air temperature and higher cooling water temperature in India.

- (c) to (e) : The  steps taken by Government to improve the efficiency of coal based thermal power plants & improve the air quality in the vicinity of these plants are as under:
- i) Supercritical  technology  has  already  been  adopted  for  thermal  power generation.  The  design  efficiency  of  Supercritical  units  is  about  5% higher than typical 500 MW subcritical units and these (supercritical) units are likely to have correspondingly lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in ambient air. A capacity addition of 39,710 MW based on supercritical technology has already been achieved and 48,060 MW of supercritical is in the pipeline.

...........2.

- (ii) All Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs) are required to use supercritical technology.
- (iii) Coal based capacity addition during 13 th   Plan shall  be  through  supercritical units.
- (iv) Indigenous  research  is  being  pursued  for  development  of  Advanced Ultra Supercritical Technology (A-USC) with targeted efficiency improvement of about 10% over supercritical unit. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), NTPC and BHEL have signed an MoU in August 2010 for development of 800 MW A-USC indigenous demonstration  plant  with  main  steam  pressure  of  310  kg/cm 2   and temperature of 710/ 720 deg C.
- (v) A capacity of about 7751.94 MW of old and inefficient unit has already been retired till date.
- (vi) To  facilitate  State  Utilities/IPPs  to  replace  old  inefficient  coal  based thermal units with supercritical units, Ministry of Coal, Government of India has formulated a policy of automatic transfer of LOA/Coal linkage (granted to old plants) to new (proposed) super-critical units.
- (vii) Perform  Achieve  and  Trade  (PAT)  Scheme  under  National  Mission  on Enhanced Energy Efficiency is under implementation by BEE (Bureau of Energy  Efficiency).  In  PAT  cycle-II,  individual  target  for  improving efficiency has been assigned to 154 thermal power stations.
- (viii) High efficiency Electrostatics Preceptor (ESP) are installed to capture Particulate Matters (Fly ash) from Flue gases.
- (ix) Low  NOX  burners  are  installed  for  reducing  NOx  emission  from  flue gases.
- (x) SO2  emission  control  is  achieved  through  dispersion  of  flue  gases through  tall  stacks  (275  metres)  to  reduce  the  concentration  of polluting gases at ground level.

Funds  for  measures  taken  to  improve  efficiency  and  air  quality are arranged by the Power Developers.

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