Lok Sabha Question No. 1295 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-06
Subject: Closure of Ash Ponds
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: S. Jothimani

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1295

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2021

## Closure of Ash Ponds

## 1295:  MS. S. JOTHIMANI

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

- (a) whether there is an SOP on how coal-based power plants will be decommissioned to ensure safe management, handling and disposal of hazardous substances;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether there is  an  SOP  for the closure  of  ash  ponds  as  part  of  decommissioning coal-based power plant;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the  details  of  measures  being  implemented  to  improve  the  efficiency  of  energy transition in the power sector?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (d) Draft 'Environmental guidelines for decommissioning Coal / Lignite-Fired Power Plant'for  environmentally  sound  handling  and  disposal  of  various  categories  of  wastes generated after decommissioning of a Power Plant has been prepared by a Joint Committee comprising  of  members  from  the  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change, CPCB and Central Electricity Authority (CEA)

The draft guideline also addresses the closure of ash ponds and ash impoundments under the chapter on Ash Management.

Further, the MoEF&CC has formulated Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Trans  boundary  Movement)  Rules,  2016  for  handling  of  Hazardous  substances  which  are equally applicable on the decommissioning of a Power Plant in an eco-friendly manner.

- (e) As  a  major  step  towards  energy  transition,  the  Government  has  taken  various steps for promotion of RE capacity addition and to optimize the cost of Energy supplied to the beneficiaries/customers. Some of these steps are as follows:
- i. Government has notified Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) targets which are to be complied with by obligated entities.
- ii. Waiver  of  Inter-State  Transmission  Charges  on  Transmission  of  the  Electricity generated from Solar and Wind Sources of Energy.
- iii. Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) - Green Term Ahead Market contracts will allow  additional  avenues  to  the  RE  generators  for  sale  of  renewable  energy; enable  Obligated  entities  to  procure  renewable  power  at  competitive  prices  to meet  their  Renewable  Purchase  Obligations  (RPO);  and  provide  a  platform  to environmentally  conscious  open  access  consumers  and  utilities  to  buy  green power.
- iv. Green  Day  Ahead  Market  (GDAM)  -  GDAM  launched  in  October,  2021 facilitates  a  marketplace  for  trading  of  RE  Power  on  a  day-ahead  basis  for accomplishment of green targets as well as support integration of green energy in a most efficient, competitive and transparent manner.
- v. Ministry  of  Power  vide  notification  dated  15 th November,  2021  has  notified revised  scheme  for  Flexibility  in  Generation  and  Scheduling  of  Thermal/Hydro Power Stations through bundling with Renewable Energy and Storage Power.
- vi. Establishment and strengthening of transmission system (including establishment of Renewable Energy ManagementCentersREMCs)  under  Green  Energy Corridor (GEC) scheme, facilitates the evacuation of power from renewable rich States.
- vii. Launching  of  National  Hydrogen  Mission  (NHM)  aims  to  cut  down  carbon emissions and increase the use of renewable sources of energy.
- viii. Apart from the above, theGovernment has brought out various policy/regulatory framework and financial assistance [in the form of subsidy, viability gap funding (VGF)] to the developer(s) as well as for individual(s) (like rooftop solar scheme, solar Pump, KUSUM scheme etc.) for establishment of Renewable Energy (RE) Plants.

## As a result of all these efforts of the Government:

- i. The  cumulative  renewable  power  installed  capacity  (excluding  hydro  above  25 MW) has increased by 3 times from 35 GW in March 2014 to 103.06 GW as on October, 2021 and constitutes over 26.4 per cent of the country's installed power capacity.  With  the  inclusion  of  large  hydro-electric  power  plants,  the  total installed  capacity  would  be  149.6  GW  and  the  share  of  renewable  energy  in installed capacity would be around 38.3 per cent.
- ii. India is implementing one of the largest renewable energy expansion programmes with  a  target  of  achieving  175  GW  of  renewable  energy  capacity  by  2022  and later up to 450 GW.
- iii. Installed  capacity  of  solar  energy  in  India  has  increased  by  more  than  18  times from 2.63 GW in March 2014 to 47.7 GW in October, 2021.
- iv. As on 31 st October, 2021, installed capacity of wind energy is40 GW.
- v. Generation  from  renewable  energy  sources  has  increased  three  times  between 2014-15  and  October,  2021  while  the  generation  (including  renewable  sources) has increased by 24 per cent between 2014-15 to 2020-21. This has been actively promoted by the 'must-run' status of renewable energy generation.
- vi. As against the target of achieving 40% contribution of energy through non-fossil fuel based energy sources by 2030, the country has already achieved around 40 % contribution of energy through non-fossil fuel based energy sources in 2021 itself, whichreflects the commitment  of  the Central  Government  towards  energy transition.

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