Power consumers in Uttar Pradesh will have to face another round of steep hike in power bills, as UP Power Corporation limited (UPPCl) has decided to install costly Flue-gas desulfurisation (FGD) system in all thermal power plants in the State. The Union Environment ministry made it mandatory for all thermal power stations in the country to prevent emission of deadly sulfur dioxide in the air from these plants.
In the first phase, the UP government approved Rs 640.40 crore to install FGD in two plants of Anpara D thermal power plant of 500 megawatt each. This decision was approved by the state cabinet in lucknow on Tuesday.
Power minister and government spokesperson Srikant Sharma told reporters in lucknow that norms to install FGD units were issued in 2015 but now it has been made mandatory .
Under the scheme, of the entire cost, 20 per cent would be borne by the state government and the rest would be taken as loan from financial institutions.
The FGD units would be completed within the next 18 months and by 2022, all thermal plants will have to install FGD at any cost in the state.
Principal Secretary, Power, Alok Kumar, who was also present at the Press conference, said that as all thermal power units will have FGD units, hence the UPPCl would require huge amount for it.
“We will add our cost of FGD units in the annual AAR to be submitted to Power Regularity Commission and it could increase power tariff in return,” he said.