Coal news and updates

Stringent emission norms for TPPs soon: MoEFCC

April 16: The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is planning to come out with stringent emission norms for thermal power plants (TPPs) in the country soon, MoEFCC Secretary Ashok Lavasa said in Delhi on April 17.

“The ministry has worked out more stringent norms for TPPs in the country. We are going to announce these norms soon,” Lavasa said at an International Conference on Coal Washing in India.

He, however, declined to share details of the new norms stating, “this will be made public in a short while”.

Industry sources, however, said the new norms may regulate the sulphur content more stringently and also monitor sulphur oxide (SOX) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) as per international practices.

Lavasa said the ministry was also working on changing the fly ash utilisation policy. “The fly ash policy is undergoing a change and will be announced soon,” he said.

Noting that fly ash utilisation level in India was currently at around 50%, compared to 70% in China, he said, the new policy will emphasise on increasing the ash utilisation level, restrict its generation in select zones and also encourage blending of fly ash with new products.

As for coal mining, he said, the coal industry needs to increase production from underground as it will minimise the impact on environment and also ease the process of clearance.

The coal industry should also focus more on restoration of mining site and reforestation and use of washed coal, he said.

Incidentally, as per the MoEFCC’s existing stipulations, the ash content in coal supplied to plants located 750 kilometres away from the mines must be below 34% this year and the same will be applicable for 500 km with effect from June 2016.