MANAGEMENT OF THERMAL

POWER PLANTS IN INDIA

G.K.Pandey, Advisor,
Ministry of Environment & Forests,
(Govt. of India)

S.K.Tyagi,Scientist, &
B.Sengupta,Member Secretary
Central Pollution Control Board,
New Delhi (INDIA)
Paper presented at BAQ 2006
at Yogykarta,Indonesia
COAL AND ENERGY SCENARIO IN INDIA
Coal, oil, gas and hydroelectric potential constitute
the conventional sources of electricity
generation. Total installed capacity of electricity
generation in India is approx. 98,668 MW.

India ranked third in the world with 7 percent

coal reserves of the total world reserves.

Coal production increased from 30 million

tonnes to over 348 million tonnes in 1999. Expected to
increase to 427 million tonne in 2010.

Seventy percent of the total coal produced is

consumed for power generation. Steel & cement
are other major consumers.
 Summary Table of Electric
Power Generation
Source India Japan U.S.
Coal 59.2% 21.2% 51.8%
Oil 13.9% 16.6% 03.1%
Gas 06.3% 22.1% 15.7%
Nuclear 02.5% 30.0% 19.9%
Hydro 17.8% 08.2% 07.4%
Others 00.3% 01.9% 02.2%
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN COAL
BASED POWER GENERATION
Air Pollution :- High particulate matter emission levels due to
burning of inferior grade coal which
leads to generation of large quantity of flyash

Emissions of SO2, NOx & Green house gas

(CO2) are also matter of concern

Water Pollution :- Mainly caused by the effluent discharge from ash

ponds, condenser cooling /cooling tower, DM
plant and Boiler blow down.

Noise Pollution :- High noise levels due to release of high pressure

steam and running of fans and motors

Land Degradation :- About 100 million tonnes of fly ash is generated by

use of coal far energy production. The disposal of
such large quantity of fly ash has occupied
thousands hectares of land which includes
agricultural and forest land too.
 ISSUES IN POWER SECTOR
 Seventy one per cent of electricity production is based on coal and
gas in the country.
 83 coal based thermal power plants with total generation capacity
of 62880.9 MW (as on July, 2003)
 27 gas/naphtha based power plants with total generation capacity
of 11299.6 MW (as on July, 2003)
 More than 240 million tonnes of coal with ash content 35-45% is
consumed annually by the Thermal Power Plants.
 3715 MT/day of SO2 is emitted from coal based power plants,which
is 89% of total emission of SO2 from industries in India

 Nearly 100 million tonnes per annum coal ash is generated.

 More than 25,000 hectares of land has been occupied for
conventional disposal of ash.
 More than 630 million M3 water is required for disposal of coal ash
as in slurry form per annum
 POLLUTION LOAD FROM COAL
BASED THERMAL POWER PLANT

Pollutants Emissions (in tones/day)

CO2 424650

Particulate 4374
Matter
SO2 3311

NOx 4966
 Emission Estimates

Cement Others
Thermal
7% 1%
Sugar Power
10% Plants
82%

Share of Suspended Particulate Matter Load

(tonnes/day) by Different Categories of
Industries (With Control Device), Total Load =
5365 tonnes/day
Share of Sulphur Dioxide Load (Tonnes /
day)
By different categories of Industries
(Total Load = 3715 Tonnes / day)

Sulphuric Acid
Oil Refineries Plants
3% 2% Others
1%
Steel
5%

Thermal Power
Plants
89%
 EMISSION STANDARDS FOR
THERMAL POWER PLANTS

Power Generation Particulate Matter

Capacity Emission

< 210 MW 350 mg/Nm3

= > 210 MW 150 mg/Nm3

Depending upon the requirement of local situations, which may warrant stricter
standards as in case of protected areas the State Pollution Control Board within the
provisions of the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986, may be prescribed limit of
150 mg/Nm3 irrespective of the generation capacity of the plant
STACK HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS
For the proper dispersion of SO2 emission from thermal
power plant, stack height criteria have been adopted in
country. However, for larger capacities boilers (500MW
and above) space provision for installing FGD system has
been recommended.
Power generation Stack Height (mts.)
capacity
Less than 200/210 MW H = 14 (Q) 0.3 , where Q is
emission rate of SO2 in kg/hr,
H= Stack Height
200/210 or less than 500 220
MW
500 MW and above 275
 Status of Pollution Control in Thermal
Power Plants in India
Total number of power plants : 81

Air Pollution
• Power plants complying with emission : 43
standards
• Power plants not complying with emission : 35
standards
• Power plants closed : 03

Water Pollution
• Power plants complying with ash pond : 49
Effluent standards
• Power plants not complying with ash pond : 29
Effluent standards
• Power plants closed : 03
REASONS FOR NON-COMPLIANCE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS IN
THERMAL POWER PLANTS

Inconsistent supply of coal

High resistivity of coal
Inefficient operation of ESPs
Delay in supply of ESPs
Low Specific Collection Area (SCA) of ESPs
Inefficient management of ash ponds
Large quantities of ash generation
CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGIES
(CCTS)
Need for adoption of CCTs
To meet in creasing demand of power with minimal environmental impact for
sustainable development, adoption of clean coal technologies with enhanced
power plant efficiency, fuel switching, use of washed coal, efficient pollution
control systems and proper by-product and waste handling & utilization, is
necessary.

Classification :

Pre-combustion Technologies : Ash, sulphur and other impurities (coal

benefaction) ca n be reduced from the coal
before it is burned

Combustion technologies : Generation of emissions of SO2, NOx

(FBC : CBFC, AFBC,PFBC, and CO2 can be minimised by
IGCC) adopting improved combustion technologies

Post combustion technologies : End of pipe treatment (installation pollution

control equipments such as ESP, DENOx &
De SO systems)
 USE OF BENEFICIATED COAL
In order to minimise fly ash generation, it was recommended
to use beneficiated coal in the power plants. A Gazette
notification has been issued under EPA, 1986, stating that :
 “On and from the 1st day of June 2002, the following coal based
thermal power plants shall use beneficiated coal with ash content
not exceeding thirty four percent, namely :

 Power plants located beyond 1000 km from the pit head and
 Power plants located in urban area or sensitive area or
critically polluted area irrespective of their distance from the
pit head except any pit headed power plants.

 The power plants based on FBC (CFBC, PFBC & AFBC) and
IGCC technologies are exempted to use beneficiated coal
irrespective of their locations.
ADVANTAGES OF BENEFICIATED COAL
Implementation of use of beneficiated coal in
thermal power plant w.r.t. June 30, 2002, shall
yield following benefits during 2002-03:
Reduction in tonnage (MT) 11
Saving in transport cost (US M$) 240
Saving in Diesel consumption (KL) 63750
Reduction in Bottom Ash (MT) 2
Reduction in Fly Ash (MT) 8
Reduction in CO2 (MT) 23

Out of 81 coal based thermal Power plants, 39

plants are required to use beneficiated coal not
containing ash more than 34% w.r.t. June 30,
2002.
 GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
Ministry of environment and forests has issued following
directions under section 3 & 5 of Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 vide a Gazette notification no.
GSR . 763 (E) dated 14/09/1999
Use of flyash, bottom ash or pond ash in the
manufacture of bricks and other construction
activities

Utilisation of flyash by thermal power plants and

Specifications for use of flyash based products by

Government agencies
 Action Plans for utilisation of Flyash
by Thermal Power Plants
Submission of action plans by the power plants
New Power Plants
• 30 % flyash utilisation within 3 year
• 100 % flyash utilisation within 9 years

Existing Power Plants

• 20 % flyash utilisation within 3 year
• 100 % flyash utilisation within 15 years
Out of 81 power plants, 52 power plants have been submitted their
action plans remaining have been asked to submit action plans
immediately.
 Conclusions
• Existing coal based power plants being
monitored by the regulatory agencies and
directions are issued
• Use of Beneficiated Coal in Thermal Power
Plants
• Emphasis on clean technology for new plants
• Emphasis on utilisation of fly ash
• Emphasis on non-carbon/low carbon based
technologies for power sector
• Emphasis on on cogeneration
Thank you