New emission norms: Tangedco’s bid for deadline extension rejected

CHENNAI: Tangedco’s attempts to get an extension for adhering to new emissions standards for the coal-based power plant till December 2024 has been rejected by the Central Pollution Control Board’s Task Force for Categorisation of the Power Plants.

According to the minutes of the Task Force, it reviewed the claims of 27 thermal units challenging distance-based categorisation including 15 units of Tangedco and seven units of Anpara TPS in Uttar Pradesh and observed that the claims for change in categorisation might not be considered as they are not backed by the required supporting documents and State Pollution Control Board’s recommendations.

As per the Environment Ministry’s notification, existing thermal power plants should instal flue gas desulphurisation systems to reduce Sulphur Dioxide emissions. Of the 15 units of Tangedco, five units of North Chennai Stage I and II fall in category A for which the deadline falls in December 2022 as it is located within a 10 km radius of the city with over a million population.

The Mettur and Thoothukudi plants come under Category B for which the deadline falls in December 2023 as it is located in critically polluted areas. However, Tangedco appealed to the CPCB to recategorise all its thermal power plants under Category C but was rejected. Sources said that they would take up the issue with the CPCB again with all supporting documents. “We are still seeking re-categorisation of all the thermal units under Category C,” a source added. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change’s December 2015 notification brought 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 most power stations failed to comply with the 2017 deadline, the MoEF and CC extended the deadline to 2022. On March 31 2021, MoEF and CC came up with another amendment to further extend the timeline till 2025.