Lok Sabha Question No. 400 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-03
Subject: Thermal Power Plant at Solapur
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.400 ANSWERED ON 03.02.2022

THERMAL POWER PLANT AT SOLAPUR

†400. SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH alias PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) the  power  generation  capacity  of  NTPC's  Thermal  Power  Station  Solapur, Maharashtra;

(b) whether  the  said  power  station  is  providing  flyash/ash  pond  to  the  cement industry;

(c) if so, the time since when it is being provided along with the basis for the same and price thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to help small traders by providing free of cost power  ash  pond  share  to  the  wheat  producers,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if not, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  proposal  from  wheat  traders  about providing free of cost power ash pond share by the thermal power station;

(f) if so, the details of immediate action taken by the Government in this regard;

(g) whether  NTPC,  Solapur  has  decided  to  sell  its  ash  pond  share  to  the  cement industry; and

(h) if  so,  the  immediate  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  stop  this  tender  and  to safeguard the interests of the farmers?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) : The power generation capacity of NTPC's Thermal Power Station Solapur, Maharashtra is 1320 Mega Watt (MW).

(b) & (c): NTPC  Solapur  is  providing  fly  ash  /  pond  ash  to  all  Ash  users  who participated and were successful in auction done through a transparent bidding process by M/s Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTCL).

The details of Fly ash being issued to cement industry from NTPC, Solapur are:

1. From  08.11.2017  to  13.11.2018  at  Rs.  320  per  Metric  Tonne  (MT)  through  auction done by M/s MSTC Ltd.
2.  From 14.11.2018 to till date at Rs. 440 per MT through auction done by M/s MSTC Ltd.

(d) to (f) : Ministry  of  Power  has  not  received  any  proposal  from  wheat  traders  for providing pond ash share free of cost by the thermal power station.

Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  &  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  regulates Utilisation  of  fly  ash  by  Thermal  Power  Plants  (TPPs).  As  per  the  latest  MoEF&CC Notification  dated  31.12.2021,  there  is  no  provision  for  any  specific  dispensation  for wheat trader/producers.

Setting up of a power plant is a de-licensed activity and TPPs take their own  techno  commercial  decisions  for  operating  their  Plants  in  a  viable  manner  and making  their  cost  of  electricity  competitive.  The  demand  for  fly  ash  has  been increasing.  In  order  to  bring  in  transparency  and  to  restrict  malpractices  in  the allocation of fly ash, Ministry of Power (MoP) vide letter dated 22.09.2021 has advised TPPs to consider  the  sale  of  fly  ash  through  a  transparent  bidding  process,  so  as  to reduce the tariff of electricity for consumers.

(g) & (h) : NTPC  Solapur  conducted  an  auction,  as  per  MoP  advisory  dated 22.09.2021,  of  pond  Ash  on  27.10.2021  through  M/s  MSTC  Limited  for  all  Ash  users. Therefore, there is no need to stop this tender.

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