Lok Sabha Question No. 3386 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-12
Subject: Environmental Guidelines for Thermal Power Plants
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: L.S. Tejasvi Surya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 3386

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.07.2019

## Environmental Guidelines for Thermal Power Plants

3386. SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA:

Will the MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- a) whether  the  Environmental  guidelines  for  Thermal  Power  Plants,  1987  does  not consider the aspect of water stress;
- b) if so, whether the Government has ascertained the loss caused by water scarcity/drought  to  the  coal  based  thermal  power  plants  across  the  country  and  the consequent environmental degradation;
- c) if so, the details thereof;
- d) whether a number of upcoming, or almost ready-to-commission plants are also likely to be affected by water shortages;
- e) if so, the details thereof; and
- f) whether there is any proposal to amend the guidelines and prohibit the establishment of such plants in water scarce areas and if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) Presently, the Environmental Clearance process for Thermal Power Projects is governed by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 and its amendments. While prescribing the Terms of Reference for conducting EIA studies for Thermal Power Plants,  studies  related  to  water  source  sustainability,  details  of  competing  downstream users and impacts of withdrawal on availability of water to all other users are stipulated. During  the  final  appraisal,  source  sustainability  study  is  examined  thoroughly  and  the Environmental Clearance is accorded only after confirming the availability of sufficient water  without  compromising  the  needs  of  other  competent  users  including  e-flow  and after obtaining approval for firm allocation of water to Power Plant from the State Water Resources Department.
- (b)&(c)    Operation of the following power plants have been affected due to shortage of raw water during FY 2018-19 and FY 2018-19 (till June).

| Details of Outage due to Raw Water Shortage in FY 2018-19   | Details of Outage due to Raw Water Shortage in FY 2018-19   | Details of Outage due to Raw Water Shortage in FY 2018-19   | Details of Outage due to Raw Water Shortage in FY 2018-19   | Details of Outage due to Raw Water Shortage in FY 2018-19   | Details of Outage due to Raw Water Shortage in FY 2018-19   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl No.                                                      | State                                                       | Station                                                     | Unit No                                                     | Capacity (MW)                                               | Duration (days)                                             |
| 1                                                           | Rajasthan                                                   | Chhabra TPP                                                 | 2                                                           | 250                                                         | 5.38                                                        |
| 2                                                           | Maharashtra                                                 | ChandrapurSTPS                                              | 3                                                           | 210                                                         | 149.99                                                      |
| 2                                                           | Maharashtra                                                 | Chandrapur STPS                                             | 4                                                           | 210                                                         | 125.06                                                      |
| 2                                                           | Maharashtra                                                 | Chandrapur STPS                                             | 5                                                           | 500                                                         | 1.31                                                        |
| 2                                                           | Maharashtra                                                 | Chandrapur STPS                                             | 6                                                           | 500                                                         | 7.77                                                        |
| 2                                                           | Maharashtra                                                 | Chandrapur STPS                                             | 7                                                           | 500                                                         | 5.16                                                        |
| 3                                                           | Karnataka                                                   | RaichurTPS                                                  | 2                                                           | 210                                                         | 44.08                                                       |
| 3                                                           | Karnataka                                                   | Raichur TPS                                                 | 8                                                           | 250                                                         | 25.77                                                       |
| 4                                                           | Tamil Nadu                                                  | KovikalpalCCPP                                              | 2                                                           | 38.23                                                       | 5.42                                                        |
| Total Capacity affected inMW                                | Total Capacity affected inMW                                | Total Capacity affected inMW                                |                                                             | 2668.23                                                     |                                                             |

(d)&  (e)  The  following  power  projects  are  under  consideration  by  the  Expert  Appraisal Committee for grant of Environmental Clearance which include the appraisal of water sustainability study.

|   Sl.No. | Project Details                                                                                                                          | Water requirement and source         |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|        1 | 1x660 MW Sagardighi Thermal Power Project in District Murshidabad, West Bengal by M/s The West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd. | 46,536m 3 /day from Bhagirathi River |
|        2 | 1x800 MW Singareni Thermal Power Plant in District Mancherial, Telangana by M/s Singareni Collieries Company Ltd.                        | 48,000m 3 /day from Paranahita River |
|        3 | 12 MW Cogeneration Power Project in District Belagavi, Karnataka by M/s. RoquetteRiddhi Siddhi Pvt. Ltd.                                 | 720m 3 /day from Ghataprabha River   |
|        4 | 726.6 MW Gas based Power Project in Gomti District, Tripura by M/s ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd.                                       | 20,400m 3 /day from Gumti River      |

- (f) The  Ministry  vide  Notifications  dated  7.12.2015  and  28.6.2018  mandated  all existing Thermal Power Plants (except plants using sea water) to install Cooling Towers  (CT)  and  achieve  specific  water  consumption  upto  maximum  of  3.5 m 3 /MWh within a period of two years.  Further, new power plants (except plants using sea water)installed after 1 st January, 2017 are mandated to achieve specific water consumption uptomaximum of 3.0 m 3 /MWhand to achieve zero waste water discharge. Besides, several water conservation measures in Power Plants such as Ash Water Recirculation System, Dry Fly ash handling system, High Concentration  Slurry  Disposal  System,  stipulation  to  achieve  higher  Cycle  of Concentration  in  cooling  towers,  recommending  air  cooled  condensers  in  water scarce region, etc. are stipulated for reducing water consumption.