Punjab-owned thermal power plants miss deadline for FGD norms

PATIALA: Even as the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had issued directives to the state-owned thermal power plants in the state to install the fuel gas desulphurization (FGD) units by December 31, to cut down on the sulphur emissions, both Ropar and Lehra Mohabatt power plants have missed out on the deadline.
The CPCB had in April 2018 and then again on June 25, last year, directed PSPCL to install FDGs by December and cooling tower system by June 2022.The deadline for the three supercritical thermal power plants set up by private players has been set to 2022.
After the June reminder, the PSPCL had initiated a process to float tender for installing ultra-expensive FGDs at Ropar and Lehra Mohabatt thermal plants. However, the idea was dropped later as both the power plants have neared their life expectancy and are like to be replaced with supercritical thermal plants in the next few years. The PSPCL has already forwarded the case for the construction of two 800 MW supercritical units at Ropar to Punjab government for approval.
According to the experts, the estimated cost of installing FDG units at Ropar thermal Plant is Rs 122 crore, which means the PSPCL will have to spend Rs 0.73 crore per MW. A similar amount will have to spend at the Lehra Mohabbat power plant. This can also impact the revenue requirements of the PSPCL and subsequently result in another hike in the cost of power.
In Punjab, the PSPCL authorities have already shut down the first two units of the Ropar thermal plant. The unit no 3 and 4 were commissioned in September 88 and January 89 and have completed 30 years of life. Unit no 5 and 6 were commissioned in September 92 and December 93 and have completed 27 years of life.
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has already declared that all the thermal units that have outlived their life period of 25 years should be phased out and replaced by supercritical units.
In case of the Lehra Mohabatt thermal unit, 1 and 2 of 210 MW capacity each were commissioned in December 97 and October 98 and lived a life of more than 20 years.
The installation of pollution control technology in coal-based power plants was announced by the environment, forest and climate change ministry in 2015 to limit the concentration of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter (PM) and mercury in stack emissions for coal-fired power plants.
According to experts, while the private thermal power plants in Punjab use both Indian and imported coal, the state-owned plants use only Indian coals with high ash content, but less sulphur content.
Meanwhile, according to the sources, the CPCB has the authority to take the defaulting thermal plants to court.