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Power Cos to get more time to install pollution reducing equipment
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SME Times News Bureau | 17 Oct, 2020
The environment and forestry ministry is likely to relax the deadline
for installation of pollution reducing equipment by thermal power plants
by up to two years.
The measure expected on the request of the
power ministry will give power units sufficient time to carry forward
the design changes effectively.
Sources in the power ministry
said the environment ministry may soon notify the extension that will
give power plants time till 2024 for making changes in their plant
design to conform to new pollution standards.
A notification
issued by MoEF in December asked captive thermal power plants to meet
new emission standards for Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Oxide
(NOx) by June 30, 2020 and other power producers by December 2022.
In
its letter to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
(MoEF), the power ministry has sought two years extension for
installation of Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) systems in a majority of
the operational Independent Power Producers (IPP) and Captive Power
Producers (CPP).
The letter mentions that more time should be
given to 322 out of the 448 units that are planned for FGD systems,
which removes polluting sulphur dioxide (SO2) from exhaust flue gases.
The
total capacity of the 322 units is about 1 lakh MW. This would mean
that a large portion of installed thermal plants would benefit if MoEF
gives more time for pollution reducing initiatives to power producers.
Industry
body FICCI had earlier highlighted the need to give more time to the
industry for FGD installation in view of the technical difficulties to
comply with the new norms in such a short period. In a letter to the
Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the industry body had said that FGD
installation may take over 30 months for each power producer so deadline
extension was required. Also, it suggested setting up of a government
committee to review the timelines for FGD implementation, assessment of
the requirement and the existing bottlenecks.
The power ministry
has made a case for 322 plants for extension as these face some serious
issues in complying with the new pollution emission norms. Out of the
identified 448 power units comprising nearly 1.70 lakh MW capacity,
feasibility studies were yet to start in around 10 units consisting of
3,560 MW as on August 11. Of the remaining 438, feasibility studies had
been conducted on around 416 units (1.57 lakh MW), tender specifications
made for 329 (1.31 lakh MW), NITs issued for 294 (1.20 lakh MW) and
bids awarded for 130 units (58,000 MW). FGD has been commissioned for
four of these units (1,740 MW).
Sources said that there may not
be a uniform two year extension given to all identified power projects
but such relaxation would be available in varying degrees depending on
the progress made by plants in completing FGD installation.
The
installation of FGD is required largely by old and inefficient plants
that continue to supply power to discoms at tariff determined several
years ago. Newer plants with super critical technology already use
equipment that is not only less polluting but also highly efficient.
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