As emission of noxious gases from thermal power plants is major contributor of air pollution, National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to reply in the long-pending case of de-commissioning of inefficient thermal power plants older than 25 years.
The green tribunal has taken immediate action on a petition filed by Indian Council for Enviro-legal Research (ICElA), where the NGO had sought immediate closure of Old and Inefficient Plants as recommended by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in September 2015.
"Closure and de-commissioning of 30-year-old coal-based power plants was first recommended by The Planning Commission in its report The Working Group on Power for 12th Plan," NGT mentioned.
It is important to mention here that while addressing the lok Sabha during Question Hour recently, Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said that all power plants that are over 25 years old will be phased out or converted to super critical plants to augment production and reduce pollution.
The Minister said, "Such (new) plants are 6-8 times less pollutant and will be able to generate more power".
In its petition, ICElA had submitted that the closure of old inefficient units and the equivalent amount of energy is supplied by new plants which are presently underutilised or lying idle, will significantly reduce coal consumption and related CO2, SO2, NO, Mercury and other resulting emission.
The reduced emissions will further reduce water consumption and ease the pressure on country's water resources. Currently there are over 218 coal-based power plants that are over 25 years. Around 11,000 MW of 34,278 MW such old capacities are operated by state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
"It is irony that thermal power plants with latest technologies and higher efficiencies remain idle, while the old and inefficient plants remain operational. With an average of around Rs 6 crore per Mega Watt capex to create new capacities, over Rs 2 lakh crore of ready idle capacities going operational will also ease the surmounting NPA's of Indian Banks,” the NGO mentioned before the NGT.