Tangedco postponed tender to install flue gas units 51 times

CHENNAI: Fifty-one times in thirty-four months. That is how many times the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has postponed its tenders for the installation of flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) units in its thermal power plants to meet the emission norms set by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

This continuous deferment has become more serious, as only a year is left to install the units as per the deadline set by the ministry.

FGD is a set of technologies used to remove sulphur dioxide (SO2) from exhaust flue gases from coal-based thermal power plants. Gaseous sulphur dioxide, the largest source of which is burning of fossil fuels by power plants and industrial units, poses harmful effects to both humans and the environment.

Across the country, only 10 thermal power plants have installed the FGD units, which includes a private facility in Cuddalore, according to the Union Ministry of Power.

Since February 2021, Tangedco invited separate bids for setting up of FGD system in its thermal power stations at 3X210 MW North Chennai-I, 5X210 MW Thoothukudi, 4X210 MW Mettur, and 600 MW Mettur-II. However, the due date for opening the bids for retrofitting FGD has been extended from 42 to 51 times.

The extension of the tender opening date is continuing though the deadline to install the FGD system to control emission is fast approaching.

When asked, a senior Tangedco official maintained that the tenders are under process. “We have made some changes to the tender conditions. It will be processed soon,” the official claimed.

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) had issued a notification in December 2015, bringing out new norms for coal-based power stations to cut down emissions of particulate matter (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) to improve the air quality around power plants.

As per the norms, SO2 emission should be brought to 600 milligrams per cubic metre of air (mg/Nm3) for the plants that were commissioned before 2003, while it is 200 mg/Nm3 for plants commissioned between 2004 and 2016. The new plants commissioned after January 1, 2017, should meet stringent 100 mg/Nm3.

As most power stations failed to comply with the 2017 deadline, the MoEF&CC extended the deadline to 2022. On March 31, 2021, the ministry came up with another amendment to further extend the timeline till 2025.