Lok Sabha Question No. 4601 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-21
Subject: Guidelines for Installing FGD Systems
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Shri Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4601

## ANSWERED ON 21.08.2025

## GUIDELINES FOR INSTALLING FGD SYSTEMS

## 4601. SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKAR ULAKA:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  notification  dated  July  11,  2025  exempts  a  majority  of coal -fired  thermal  power  plant  units  from  installing  Flue  Gas  Desulphurization (FGD) systems, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) the list of total number of units with their capacity and category (A,B,C) along  with  the  criteria  and  scientific  basis  for  classifying  them  into  said categories, State-wise;
- (c) the  list  of  exempted  units  with  their  capacity  and  category,  State-wise including  Delhi-NCR  along  with  the  specific  criteria  and  rationale  used  to determine these exemptions including the reasons for adopting location-based emission norms instead of uniform national standards; and
- (d) whether  comparative  national  SO ₂ trends  and  international  benchmarks were reviewed before this amendment and if so, the details thereof along with the compliance, review and monitoring roadmap for Categories B and C?

## A N S W E R

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER

(SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

- (a) to (d) : Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC) notified  emission  standards  [including  Sulphur  Dioxide  (SO2)]  for  coal  /  lignite based  Thermal  Power  Plants  (TPPs)  vide  its  Notification  dated  07.12.2015. Further, MoEF&CC vide Notification dated 31.03.2021 categorized TPPs into three categories i.e. Category A, B and C for compliance of the emission standards. Accordingly, TPPs were classified as follows:

|   Sl. No. | Category   | Location/Area                                                                           |   No. of TPPs |   No. of Units | Capacity (MW)   |
|-----------|------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|----------------|-----------------|
|         1 | Category A | Within 10 km radius of National Capital Region or cities having million plus population |            17 |             66 | 20,577          |

………..2

| 2     | Category B   | Within 10 km radius of Critically Polluted Areas or Non-attainment cities   |   25 |   72 | 24,057     |
|-------|--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|------|------|------------|
| 3     | Category C   | Other than those included in category A and B                               |  149 |  462 | 1,66,885.5 |
| Total | Total        | Total                                                                       |  191 |  600 | 2,11,519.5 |

Note: As per 2011 census of India

State-wise details of number of TPP Units (including 35 Units of Delhi-NCR) along with their capacity under Category A, B and C are given at Annexure-I.

To meet the SO2 emission norms, Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) system is being installed in coal/lignite based TPPs.

The  SO2  emission  standards  prescribed  in  MoEF&CC  Notification  dated 07.12.2015 have been reviewed by the Central Government  taking into consideration  the  various  representations  received  regarding  exemption  or relaxation in timelines of these standards due to limited availability of technology providers, its techno-economic feasibility, negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on supply chain, price escalation due to high demand and low supplies, low SO2 concentration in ambient air and heavy burden on consumers due to increase in electricity price etc.

Besides the above, the scientific studies conducted by independent research institutions regarding effectiveness & rationale behind these standards and its role in overall ambient air pollution of the region were also considered to evaluate the need of universal applicability and enforcement of these standards.

In  view  of  above,  now  MoEF&CC  has  issued  a  Notification  on  11.07.2025 regarding applicability of SO2 emission standards for TPPs along with timelines and its details are given below:

- (i) TPPs declared  to  retire  before  31.12.2030  shall  not  be  required  to meet  specified  standards  for  SO2  emissions  in  case  such  plants submit an undertaking to Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) and Central Electricity Authority(CEA) for exemption on ground of retirement of such plant;
- (ii) the existing and under commissioning Category A TPPs shall comply with SO2 emission standards by 31.12.2027. Other Category A plants to be commissioned after 31.12.2027 will operate only after ensuring compliance of these standards;

……..3.

- (iii) for all Category B Plants or Units, whether existing or upcoming, the applicability  of  SO2  emission  standards,  shall  be  decided  by  the Central  Government  based  upon  recommendations  of  the  Expert Appraisal Committee in charge of Thermal Power Projects as per the procedure laid in the Notification dated 11.07.2025;
- (iv) the SO2 emission standards shall not be applicable to all Category-C TPPs  subject  to  compliance  of  stack  height  criteria  notified  by MoEF&CC on 30.08.1990 and  the  timeline  for  compliance  of  stack height criteria is 31.12.2029.

The  category  wise applicability of  SO2  emission standards in TPPs have been decided based on detailed scientific studies and analysis of ambient SO2 concentrations  across  the  country,  including  areas  near  TPPs.  This  approach applies  the  precautionary  principle  for  controlling  and  abating  air  pollution  in densely populated and other air pollution sensitive areas, while also emphasizing on resource conservation by avoiding additional consumption of water, auxiliary power,  and  limestone,  and  avoiding  the  increase  in  carbon  footprint/CO2 emissions  resulting  from  the  installation  of  FGDs,  as  well  as  mining  and transportation of limestone required for these measures.

***********

ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4601 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 21.08.2025 *************

State-wise details of TPP units under Category A, B and C

|         |                | No. of TPP Units   | No. of TPP Units   | No. of TPP Units   | No. of TPP Units   |                     |
|---------|----------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
| Sl. No. | State          | Category A         | Category B         | Category C         | Total no. of Units | Total Capacity (MW) |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh | 13                 | 0                  | 18                 | 31                 | 11,590              |
| 2       | Assam          | 0                  | 0                  | 03                 | 03                 | 750                 |
| 3       | Bihar          | 0                  | 4                  | 20                 | 24                 | 7,960               |
| 4       | Chhattisgarh   | 0                  | 18                 | 45                 | 63                 | 23,688              |
| 5       | Gujarat        | 03                 | 0                  | 43                 | 46                 | 16,092              |
| 6       | Haryana*       | 08                 | 0                  | 04                 | 12                 | 5,330               |
| 7       | Jharkhand      | 0                  | 0                  | 13                 | 13                 | 4,250               |
| 8       | Karnataka      | 0                  | 0                  | 22                 | 22                 | 9,480               |
| 9       | Madhya Pradesh | 0                  | 0                  | 50                 | 50                 | 21,950              |
| 10      | Maharashtra    | 15                 | 11                 | 46                 | 72                 | 24,966              |
| 11      | Odisha         | 0                  | 03                 | 17                 | 20                 | 10,140              |
| 12      | Punjab*        | 0                  | 0                  | 15                 | 15                 | 5,680               |
| 13      | Rajasthan      | 07                 | 0                  | 30                 | 37                 | 10,480              |
| 14      | Tamil Nadu     | 08                 | 17                 | 16                 | 41                 | 13,685              |
| 15      | Telangana      | 0                  | 0                  | 19                 | 19                 | 7,572.5             |
| 16      | Uttar Pradesh* | 06                 | 09                 | 62                 | 77                 | 23,729              |
| 17      | West Bengal    | 06                 | 10                 | 39                 | 55                 | 14,177              |
|         | Total          | 66                 | 72                 | 462                | 600                | 2,11,519.5          |

* Note: Includes 35 Units of TPPs in Delhi-NCR (Haryana-12 Units, Punjab-13 Units, Uttar Pradesh-10 Units)

*****************