Report says Vallur power plant complies with pollution norms

CHENNAI: Listing out several measures taken to control emission, Tamil Nadu Energy Company Ltd (NTECL) that runs Vallur Thermal Power Project has assured that the plant has been complying with pollution norms.

While hearing a suo-moto case against industries that cause air pollution in north Chennai, the Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the industries, including Vallur Power Plant, to file a report on pollution control mechanisms being deployed in their operation.

In the report submitted to the NGT, NTECL said that it is adopting the best technologies to control pollution. "NTECL has constructed three stacks of 275 meters attached to unit 1, unit 2 and unit 3 boilers. Flue gases are let out through these stacks as directed in the consent to operate for maximum dispersion," the report said.

The report added that NTECL has three units of 500 MW generating capacity each and the units were commissioned in the year 2012, 2013 and 2015. Each unit was commissioned along with a high efficiency electrostatic precipitator (ESP). NTECL electrostatic precipitators are of BHEL make and designed for 99.969 per cent efficiency.

NTECL has awarded the work of design, supply, erection and commissioning of Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) are in progress. NTECL has to meet SO2 emission norms of 200 mg/Nm3 before December 2024. Also, real time stack emission data is being continuously transmitted to Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Central Pollution Control Board.