Coal-based thermal power plants
In 2015, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) introduced a notification asking coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs) to comply with stringent emission norms. The TPPs were given a fixed deadline of December 2017 to mandatorily comply with the norms. Once the 2017 deadline approached, however, the Union Ministry of Power submitted another phase-in plan to MoEF&CC and requested for further extension of another seven years till 2024 to meet the norms. The Supreme Court after much deliberation granted another five-year extension to enable power plants to meet the deadlines in a phased manner till December 2022. So far in 2021 only one-third of the plants have taken serious initiatives to meet the new norms. Also, an extension provided by MoEF&CC on 1 April 2021 extended the timelines for the majority of coal-based power plants in India, which are now allowed to comply with the emission norms in another three to four years. Failing this, power stations will be allowed to pay a meagre penalty and continue to spew emissions. In this scenario, it seems unlikely that the sulphur dioxide emission norms will be met, particularly the norms that are violated most.
Related Content
- Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding fire breaking out at NTPC's superthermal power plant in Jharkhand, 01/05/2024
- Guidelines for coal or lignite based Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) to utilise ash by providing it to the ‘user agencies’ as stipulated in the MoEF&CC Notification dated 31.12.2021 and its subsequent amendments
- Affidavit by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board regarding proper disposal of fly ash by industries in Uttar Pradesh, 15/01/2024
- Amendments to ash utilization notification 2021
- Emission watch: tracking the implementation of emission standard notification for coal-based power plants in India
- The role of coal in a sustainable energy mix for India