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Satpura thermal plant incurred excess expenditure of Rs 1,000 cr on coal and oil: CAG

Satpura Thermal Power Station (STPS) in Sarni, Madhya Pradesh defaulted on air, water and hazardous waste pollution norms during 2011-12 and 2013-14. Also, it consumed excess coal and oil and incurred additional expenditure of more than Rs 1,060 crore during the period. These anomalies have been pointed out by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its performance audit report on adherence to environmental norms for 2013-14 tabled in state assembly recently.

Audit watchdog highlighted STPS, one of the four thermal power stations of MP power generating company limited, couldn't meet station heat rate (SHR) targets fixed by MP Electricity Regulatory Commission (MPERC) and consequently used 25.82 lakh MT coal amounting to Rs 855.46 crore and 0.41 lakh KL oil of Rs 204.85 crore. This led to release of more effluents into environment.

SHR is a measure of efficiency of thermal power stations and level of emissions a plant releases containing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). During the three years (2011-12 to 2013-14), SHR in STPS ranged between 3,450 and 3,727 against norm of 2,700.

CAG noted state government in its reply in November, 2014 said excess SHR was due to aging of plants, non-availability of coal as per design and non-implementation of comprehensive repairs and maintenance (R&M) schedule. The reply was not acceptable as MPERC norms for SHR are fixed after considering various parameters relating to respective plant.

nvironment and Forest (MoEF) and MP pollution control board (MPPCB), Satpura thermal plant had to upgrade electro static precipitators (ESP), construct sewage treatment plant (STP) install online monitoring equipment and create facility for 100% utilisation of fly ash.

After spending Rs 4.61 crore on ESP, Rs 78.11 lakh on repair and procurement of monitoring equipment and Rs 1.27 crore on materials/consumables, it failed to control pollution, report said.

Besides, STPS also failed to utilize Rs 35.96 crore received from sale of fly ash for development of infrastructure or facilities, didn't achieve 100% fly ash utilization. CAG also noted company didn't effectively repair and operate real time continuous monitoring system lying idle since 2010, installed at the cost of Rs 1.33 crore.

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com