According to sources, CPCB has given a fresh chance to Panipat TPS to meet the new norms by installing electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and FGD and reduce the nitrogen oxide emission in three units
GURUGRAM: With the air quality index turning severe, coal-based power plants in the NCR are preparing to shut. The power plant in Panipat shut down on Monday, while the ones in Hisar and Yamunanagar are in the process of closing. The Haryana power generation corporation limited (HPGCL) has said that the remaining plants too might be shut if the pollution levels continue to rise.
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The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has noted that Panipat Thermal Power Station (TPS), does not meet the standards and has failed to switch to cleaner fuel gas desulfurization (FGD) technology.
With the first deadline (December 2017) to control emission through FGD already missed, the second proposed deadline (December 2020) is unlikely to be met. When CPCB had imposed a fine of Rs 2.70 crore in May 2020, the Panipat TPS had challenged this in the Supreme Court
Notably, the ministry of environment, forest and climate change had in 2015 come up with new norms for coal-based power plants to cut down emission of particulate matter (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen. These norms have come into force from December last year.
“Panipat TPS has three units, with a total 920 MW capacity of power generation. We have closed all the units and are taking all measures to control the emission. We have sufficient power storage to supply across the state without outrage,” said Mohammed Shayin, managing director, HPGCL.
According to sources, CPCB has given a fresh chance to Panipat TPS to meet the new norms by installing electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and FGD and reduce the nitrogen oxide emission in three units. The renewed deadline for installing FGD for the first unit is December 2020, for the second it is February 2021 and for the third it is April 2021 Also the While Sulphur emissions have to be reduced by next month and nitrogen oxide emission by December 2022.
Experts say, emissions from coal-based power plants include nitrates, mercury and secondary particulate matter, which is largely formed by sulphur compound emissions. A study has estimated that coal, fly ash and secondary particles generated by thermal power plants and industries in Delhi-NCR contribute to 35 per cent of PM 2.5 pollutants during winter.
Senior officials of Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (HVPNL) said, “Demand for electricity has reduced due to weather change and as of now, 7200 MW of power is required. We get 3020 MW from the central pool and 5500 MW power is being produced by private companies in Haryana. We also get 846 MW from Bhakra Nangal dam and therefore we will not be having any outages in Haryana,” he said.
Source: TNN
