Lok Sabha Question No. 3873 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-08
Subject: Energy Consumption
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3873 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2016

## ENERGY CONSUMPTION

3873.  SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the growth rate of energy consumption in the country during the last three years and the current year;

(b) whether  the  growth  in  energy  consumption  is  considered  to  be indicative  of  economic  revival,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  its adverse effect of environment; and

(c) the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Union  Government  to  maintain ecological balance?

## A N S W E R

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

( SHRI  PIYUSH GOYAL )

(a) : The details of the growth rate of energy consumption (Utilities & Non-Utilities) in the country during the last three years and the current year is given at Annex.

(b) & (c) : Generally, growth in energy consumption is positively correlated with economic growth.

Growth  in  energy  generation  from  inefficient coal  based thermal power stations has some adverse effect on environment. However,  in  order  to  reduce  adverse  effect  on  environment  and  to maintain ecological balance, the Government of India is taking following measures:

(i) Government has set a target to achieve a large capacity of 175 GW from renewable energy sources by the year 2022, thereby increasing the  share  of  clean,  pollution  free  energy  in  the  energy-mix  of  our country. As a result, the fossil based capacity addition will be less in the coming years.

.......2.

- (ii) Installation  of  coal  fired  generation  units  based  on  supercritical technology.  These  units  are  more  efficient  than  sub-critical  units resulting  in  less  fuel  consumption  &  air  emissions.  A  capacity addition of 36,930 MW based on supercritical technology has been achieved  and  48,200  MW  of  supercritical  thermal  units  are  under construction.  Further,  it  is  proposed  that  coal  based  capacity addition during the 13th  Plan period shall be mainly through supercritical units.
- (iii) Phased retirement of in-efficient and old thermal power generation units has been taken up.  A capacity of about 6010 MW has already been retired as on 31.10.2016.
- (iv) 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.
- (v) Coal  cess  has  been  increased  from  Rs.200/ton  to  Rs.400/ton  to enhance  National  Clean  Energy  Fund  (NCEF)  to  be  utilized  for promoting clean electricity production.
- (vi) Perform, Achieve & Trade (PAT) Scheme was introduced in the year 2012 to reduce specific energy consumption of Thermal Units. This scheme  has  resulted  in  improving  the  unit  heat  rate  and  thereby reduction in emissions.
- (vii) Thermal Power Plants have been asked to undertake afforestation, development  of  green-belt  area,  use  of  Effluent  Treatment  Plant (ETP) for  treating  effluents  produced  by  various  processes  to maintain the quality for recycle/use in horticulture inside the plant and the water intake/discharge temperature difference from cooling tower to sea/ river/lake is maintained less than 7 0  C to avoid adverse effect on fish and other aquatic organisms.
- (viii)  The  new  Thermal  Power  Plants  have  been  mandated  to  maintain Zero  Liquid  Discharge  (ZLD)  to  ensure  less  adverse  effect  on ecology.
- (ix) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) is installed in Thermal plants to treat sewage/  waste  water  of  residential  area/township.  The  treated water,  thus  produced,  is  used  for  horticulture  inside  the  plant boundary.
- (x) Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  & Climate Change (MOEF&CC) has notified  new  stringent  environmental  norms  on  07  December  2016 for  thermal  power  plants  for  Suspended  Particulate  Matter  (SPM), SO2,  NOx  and  mercury  emissions  and  water  consumption.  The implementation  of  pollution  control  equipment  for  meeting  these norms will further reduce the adverse impact on environment due to thermal plants.

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