India’s coal-fired power plants have a task ahead, they must meet stringent new emission norms by 2022, which were set in December 2015 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. But a new study report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) finds that with barely two years to go before the deadline hits them, almost 70% of the plants will not meet the emission standards. Given the thrust of the Indian government to expedite and enhance coal mining in the country, “our study gains urgency”, say CSE researchers. “We cannot accept that we will continue to use coal without emission control. We want growth post-lockdown, but it has to be a growth which comes with our right to clean air. This must be equally important.”
Coal-based Power Norms: Where do we stand today – as the CSE report is titled – was released at an online event. The study report presents a comprehensive assessment of the progress in implementation of the environmental norms for coal-based thermal power plants.
CSE Director Narain said, “Our assessment finds that even after seven years since the notification and even after the agreed five-year extension given to this sector in 2017, most of the total installed coal-fired capacity will not be compliant with the crucial sulphur dioxide (SO2) standards by 2022. There is little information in the public domain about compliance with PM or NOx standards and certainly, there is no direction to the thermal power plants that they must meet the crucial water standards, which would make this water-guzzling sector more responsible on its usage. Coal-fired power plants are some of the most polluting industries in the country. They account for over 60 per cent of the total particulate matter (PM) emissions from all industry, as well as 45% of the SO2, 30% of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and over 80% of the mercury emissions. Therefore, even as we continue using coal, India’s thermal power sector must clean up its act. This is absolutely non-negotiable.”
What the CSE study report found about the coal-based power sector?
With 56% of generation capacity being based on it, coal is the mainstay of India’s power sector, says the CSE study. Besides being accountable for emissions of pollutants like SO2 etc, the sector is also extremely water-intensive – it is responsible for 70% of total freshwater withdrawal by all industries in the country.
A 2015 CSE study called Heat on Power had highlighted the huge scope for improvement in the sector’s environmental performance and had recommended tightening of norms to bring down pollution levels. In December 2015, the Environment Ministry introduced stricter environmental standards. The CSE report said, “The 2015 standards are in line with global regulations. According to rough estimates, their implementation can cut down emissions of PM by 35%, SO2 by 80%, and NOx by 42%. They can also bring down freshwater use by the industry.”
The sector, however, has been far from forthcoming in accepting the norms. The industry tried to first obstruct and prevaricate on the 2015 standards. The deadline for meeting them was moved from 2017 to 2022 – but the sector continues to remain in its state of sloth.
What the report recommends?
- The environment ministry should issue directions and impose hefty fines on the plants which clearly will not meet the 2022 deadline. High penalties and closure notices should be issued for non-compliant Delhi-NCR airshed plants at least for the peak winter pollution months.
- Take urgent decision regarding the older plants which cannot meet the already lax emission standards. These must be retired or refurbished to use alternative fuels or move towards using the plants for biomass gasification or ultra-modern municipal waste processing units. Finance minister Sitharaman, in her 2020 budget speech, had discussed the need to close these plants.
- The deadline should be non-negotiable for plants which came up after the notification – the report says many of them are still not compliant.
- Take urgent action on the implementation of water standards by issuing directions and improvement in the monitoring framework so that plants are held accountable.
