Lok Sabha Question No. 2880 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-05
Subject: Coal based Power Plants
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Bidyut Baran Mahato, Prataprao  Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2880 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2019

## COAL BASED POWER PLANTS

2880. SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of setting up of the coal based power plants in areas which face severe water scarcity in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons for the same;
- (c) whether more than 40 per cent of India's proposed coal based power plants are likely to double the country's water consumption;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Greenpeace International has observed that most of the States in the country are likely to bear the brunt of water shortage due to construction of the proposed coal based power plants; and
- (f) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  remedial  steps  being  taken  by  the Government in this regard?

## A N S W E R

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  POWER,  NEW  & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

( SHRI  R.K. SINGH)

(a) to (d) : After  the  enactment  of  Electricity  Act  2003,  setting  up  of  a  power plant is a delicensed activity. As such proposals for setting up of New Thermal Power  Projects  are  not  being  received  in  Ministry  of  Power/Central  Electricity Authority  (CEA).  However,  while  granting  Environmental  Clearance  (EC)  to  a power  plant,  water  availability  is  ensured  by  the  developer  through  concerned State/Central  agencies  responsible  for  water  allocation  from  rivers/reservoirs. The  thermal  power  plants  are  required  to  meet  the  water  consumption  norms prescribed by Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

……….2.

- (e) : The said Green Peace International report has not been seen by the Ministry of Power / Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
- (g) : The measures being taken by Government to reduce water consumption in Thermal Power Plants are as follows:
- i. Compliance of new water consumption norms published by MoEF&CC vide Notification  dated  07.12.2015  regarding  use  of  water  in  Thermal  Power Plants
- ii. The Tariff Policy, 2016 mandates use of treated sewage water from sewage treatment plants (STP) of Municipality / local bodies by the thermal power plants that are located with 50 km radius. All thermal power plants have been advised to use STP water for cooling purpose, wherever possible.
- iii. The  following  water  conservation  measures  are  also  being  taken  by Thermal Power Plants:
- a. Ash water recirculation system- Water from ash pond is recovered and reused in the system.
- b. Dry fly ash handling system & High concentration slurry disposal system (HCSD) - These ash handling techniques reduce the ash handling water requirement thereby reducing the water consumption.
- c. Zero water discharge system - Treating the total waste water produced in  the  plant  and  recycling  back  in  to  the  consumptive  water  system reduces water consumption.
- d. Operating cooling towers at higher Cycle of Concentration (COC): This reduces  the  waste  water  generated  by  the  plant.  This  waste  water generated is used for low grade applications like ash handling, coal dust suppression and gardening etc.
- e. Air  cooled  condensers  are  recommended  in  thermal  power  plants  for cooling purpose, in water scare region.

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