Lok Sabha Question No. 656 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-24
Subject: SO2 Emissions
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Feroze Varun Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.656

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2023

## SO2 Emissions

## 656 SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

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

- (a) whether  the Government  is  aware  that  India is the world's  largest emitter of anthropogenic Sulphur Dioxide, that contributes to air pollution;
- (b) whether flue-gas desulphurization technology has been installed in the coal plants that will help in reduction of air pollution and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to regulate the SO2 emissions in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (C): Coal based thermal power plants (TPP) are major source of anthropogenic sulphur dioxide  (SO2)  which  contributes  to  air  pollution.  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and Climate  Change  vide  notification  dated  07.12.2015  stipulated  norms  for  emission  of  SO2 from coal-fired TPP apart from other pollutants. There was no SO2 emission norms for coal based TPPs prior to this notification and SO2 emission was regulated through stipulating the height of discharge/emittance through fixing height of chimney.

Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  vide  notification  dated  07.12.2015 stipulated norms for SO2 emission apart from other pollutants for coal-fired thermal power plants.The implementation of the emission norms, requiring installation of Flue-Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) technology, got delayed due to various techno-economic constraints faced by thermal power plants and further affected by the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Considering these constraints, the Central Government initially decided for phased implementation  of  FGDs  with  maximum  timelines  up  to  December  2022,  and  later  vide notifications vide dated 31.03.2021 and 05.09.2022 granted further extension of time limit for implementation  of  the  new  emission  norms  for  SO2  parameter  up  to  December  2024, December 2025 and December 2026 for Category A, B and C plants, respectively, based on plant's location.

Two commonly acceptable technologies for flue-gas desulphurization (FGD) installed in coal based TPPs in India are Wet scrubbing (wet FGD) and Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI). As per available information, 18 number of units have installed wet FGD and 4 units have installed DSI technology for desulphurization of flue gas from coal based TPPs. State wise list of these 22 units is enclosed at Annexure-I.

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Annexure - referred in reply to part (a) to (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 656  due  for  answer  on  24.07.2023  regarding  'SO2  Emissions'  raised  by  Shri  Feroze Varun Gandhi, Hon'ble M. P.

## State-wise details of 22 units having installed Wet FGD/DSI systems

| Sl. No.   | State          |   No. of Units | Name of TPP and Unit Nos.                                                                            | SO 2 emission control technology   |
|-----------|----------------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Gujarat        |             03 | Adani Power Mundra TPS (U - 7, 8, 9)                                                                 | Wet FGD                            |
| 2.        | Haryana        |             02 | Mahatma Gandhi TPS, CLP Jhajjar (U - 1 &2)                                                           | Wet FGD                            |
| 3.        | Madhya Pradesh |             01 | Vindhyachal STPS, NTPC Ltd. (U - 13)                                                                 | Wet FGD                            |
| 4.        | Maharashtra    |             04 | JSW Ratnagiri TPS (U - 1, 2, 3, 4)                                                                   | Wet FGD                            |
| 4.        | Maharashtra    |             02 | Adani Dahanu TPS (U - 1 &2)                                                                          | Wet FGD                            |
| 4.        | Maharashtra    |             02 | Tata Power Trombay TPS (U - 5 &8)                                                                    | Wet FGD                            |
| 5.        | Tamilnadu      |             02 | IL&FS TNPCL (U-1& 2)                                                                                 | Wet FGD                            |
| 6.        | Uttar Pradesh  |             06 | NCTPS Dadri, NTPC Ltd. (U - 1, 2, 3 &4) NCTPS Dadri, NTPC Ltd. (U - 5) Unchahar TPS, NTPC Ltd. (U-6) | DSI Wet FGD Wet FGD                |
|           | Total          |             22 |                                                                                                      |                                    |