Lok Sabha Question No. 1767 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-28
Subject: Efficiency of Thermal Power Plants
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Prataprao  Jadhav, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sudheer Gupta, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1767 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2019

## EFFICIENCY OF THERMAL POWER PLANTS

1767. SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) whether 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 and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government proposes to take any measures to improve the efficiency of these plants and improving the air quality in the vicinity at the same time;

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

- (d) the budgetary allocation made by the Government in this regard; and

(e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to provide superior quality of coal to the thermal power plants?

## 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 (c) :  In order to improve the efficiency of coal based thermal power plants and also to improve the air quality in their vicinity, the Government has taken the following measures:

- i. The  Ministry  of  Power  had  decided  in  2009  that  all  coal  based  generation  capacity addition from  2017 onwards shall be based on supercritical technology.  The thermal efficiency  of  Supercritical  units  is  typically  about  2%  point  higher  than  that  of Subcritical  units.  Till  August  2019,  75  numbers  of  Supercritical  /  Ultra  supercritical units (which are about 1.5% point over Supercritical units) of total capacity of 51,770 Mega Watt (MW) have been commissioned.
- ii. Indigenous manufacturing of supercritical power equipment with higher steam parameters (i.e. ultra supercritical technology) is available in the country. Indigenous manufacturers, who have established manufacturing facilities for supercritical power equipments  are  capable  of  manufacturing  and  supply  of  ultra  supercritical  class  of power equipment.

………..2.

- iii. For further improvement in efficiency of thermal power plants, indigenous research, for development of advanced ultra supercritical technology (A-USC) with steam parameters  of  around  300  kg/cm2  pressure  and  700  deg  C  steam  temperature  with targeted  efficiency  of  about  46%  which  is  an  improvement  of  about  6%  point  over supercritical unit, has already been initiated. In this regard, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic  Research  (IGCAR),  NTPC  and  BHEL  had  signed  an  MoU  in  August,  2010  for development  of  800  MW  A-USC  indigenous  demonstration  plant  with  main  steam pressure of 310 kg/cm2 and temperature of 710/720 degree centigrade.
- iv. Bureau  of Energy  Efficiency (BEE), a statutory body  under  Ministry of  Power, Government  of  India  have  implemented  Perform,  Achieve  and  Trade  (PAT)  Scheme under  National Mission for  Enhanced  Energy  Efficiency  (NMEEE)  for  enhancing efficiency in energy intensive sectors and to enhance cost effectiveness of improvements in energy efficiency, including thermal power stations consuming more than 30000 tonne of oil equivalent (toe) of energy per annum. Currently, 225 numbers of thermal power stations having capacity of about 181 Giga Watt (GW) are covered under this scheme.
- v. The  Government  has  granted  approval  with  regard  to  Annual  Contracted  Quantity (ACQ) of coal based on efficiency.
- vi. All the thermal power stations that are in operation are equipped with high efficiency Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP) for control of Particulate Matter (PM).
- vii. Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  has  notified  the Environment  (Protection)  Amendment  Rules,  2015  on  7th  December  2015  stipulating revised emission norms for Thermal Power Plants to improve air quality in the vicinity of these power plants.

Centre  for  Science  and  Environment  (CSE)  had  published  a  report  'Heat  on Power-  Green  Rating  of  Coal-Based  Thermal  Power  Plants'  in  February  2015.  This  report contains  a  chapter  on  energy  efficiency  of  power  plants  under  the  heading  'Energy  and Greenhouse Gases'. This study compared efficiencies of coal based power plants in various countries in 2011 and from India it had studied 47 thermal power plants operating in 2012. The study is dated.

The Government have been taking measures continuously for improving efficiency of coal based power plants.

(d) : No separate budgetary allocation has  been made in this regard  by Ministry of Power, Government of India.

(e) : In order to address the issue of quality of coal dispatched by coal companies to the power plants, the Government has decided on Third Party Sampling and Analysis of coal at loading-end (mine end) as well as at unloading-end (power plant end). Based on the results of the Third Party Sampling analysis by a Third Party Agency i.e. Central Institute of Mining and  Fuel  Research  (CIMFR),  credit/debit  notes  are  issued  by  Coal  companies  to  the  power plants in case of difference between declared grade of coal and analyzed grade of coal.

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