Union Ministry of Environment notified norms for Coal-based Thermal Power Plants

In a bid to cope with pollution the Union environment ministry has notified revised norms of emission standards for coal-based thermal power plants in the country and made it mandatory for the existing plants to meet those parameters within two years.

Key Provisions of revised norms

• The new power plants (to be commissioned from January 1, 2017 onwards) will have to achieve “zero waste water discharge”.
• The new standards are aimed at reducing emission of PM10 (particulate matter), Sulphur Dioxide and Oxide of Nitrogen, which will improve the Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) in and around thermal power plants & will control the mercury emission (at about 70-90%).
• In case of PM10, the new plants will have to restrict the emission to 30 mg per cubic meter as compared to 100 mg per cubic meter in older plants.