Lok Sabha Question No. 2130 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-29
Subject: Emission from Thermal Power Plants
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: MAHEISH GIRRI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2130

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2016

## Emission from Thermal Power Plants

## 2130. SHRI MAHEISH GIRRI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  notified  regulations  on  carbon  emissions  and  other pollution caused by thermal power plants;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the status of compliance of such regulations by thermal power plants;
- (d) whether the Government has taken steps to move the power sector towards renewable energy; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a)&(b)  The Government has notified revised Standards for Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) on 07/12/2015, which lays down emission norms for specified pollutants as under:

- (i) Particulate  Matter  (PM)  emission  limits  of  30  milligram  per  normal  cubic  meter (mg/Nm 3 )  for  new power plants to be commissioned after 01/01/2017, 50mg/Nm 3 for plants  commissioned  during  01/01/2004  to  31/12/2016,  and  100mg/Nm 3 for  plants commissioned prior to 31/12/2003 as against the existing limit of 150 mg/Nm 3 ;
- (ii) Emission limits of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Mercury for the first time vide Notification dated 07/12/2015.
- (iii) Water consumption limits of 2.5  cubic  meter  per  megawatt  hour  (m 3 /MWh) for new power  plants  to  be  commissioned  after  01/01/2017  with  achievement  of  zero  liquid discharge, 3.5m 3 /MWh for existing Cooling Tower (CT) based plants within two years and  mandating  installation  CT  in  those  plants  where  once  through  cooling  is  in operation  with  a  view  to  achieve  higher  Cycle  of  Concentration  (COC)  and  limit  of 3.5m 3 /MWh within two years;
- (iv) Installation of Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) system for control of SO2 emission in seven plants located  at Dahanu, Trombay, Ratnagir, Vindhyachal, Bongaigaon, Mundra and Udipi;
- (v) Use of beneficiated coal in thermal power plants located 500-1000 kilometers from coal mine / urban area/ critically polluted area;
- (vi) 100% flyash  utilization  vide  notification  dated  03/11/2009  within  5  year  for  existing plants and 4 years for new plants from the date of commissioning;
- (vii) Implementation  of  cleaner  power  generation  technologies  like  Circulating  Fluidized Bed Combustion, Atmospheric Fluidized bed Combustion, Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustion, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, Super Critical technology etc.

(c) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has taken steps to control pollution from thermal power stations and reported that all the 164 coal based thermal power plants have provided  pollution  control  systems  for  control  of  air  and  water  pollution.  However,  19 thermal power plants were found to be non- compliant with prescribed norms. The CPCB has issued directions to the non-compliant thermal power plants.

(d)&  (e)  The  Government  has  up-scaled  the  target  of  renewable  energy  capacity  to  175 gigawatt (GW) by the year 2022 which includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro-power.

******