News: Power Minister says that the Central Pollution Control Board will decide on future of flue gas desulphurisation units. Flue gas desulphurisation (FGD)
About Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD)
- Flue-gas desulfurization(FGD) is a set of technologies used to remove sulfur dioxide (SO2) from exhaust flue gases of fossil-fuel power plants and from the emissions of other sulfur dioxide-emitting processes such as waste incineration.
- These are an additional piece of equipment required to be retro-fitted in TPPs to cut harmful sulphur dioxide emissions resulting from burning coal.
Flue Gas
Ill effects of Sulphur Dioxide
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Categorization of Thermal Power Plants
- They are categorized into A, B, and C based on their location and proximity to areas with critical pollution or high population density for the purpose of installing Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) systems.
- Category A plants: The power plants located in a 10 km radius of the National Capital Region, and cities with a population of over one million, are required to install FGD units.
- There are 66 such plants, and only 14 of them have installed FGD units.
- All these plants are required to comply by 2027.
- Category B plants: Those TPPs located in a 10-km radius of ‘Critically Polluted Cities’ or ‘Non-Attainment Cities’.
- They would be eligible for exemption on a “case by case” basis, upon a joint review by the Central Electricity Authority or the CPCB.
- There are 72 such plants, with only 4 having installed FGD units.
- These plants have a deadline of 2028.
- Category C plants: The remaining 462 plants come under Category C.
- Thirty-two of them have installed FGD units.
- These plants have a 2029 deadline.
- Deadline extensions: So far, the government has granted three extensions since 2017, the latest being in December 2024, for plants to comply by 2027-2030.
Present Scenario
- 92% of India’s 600 TPPs haven’t yet installed FGD units.
- High installation cost: It is estimated that the current installation cost of such equipment is about ₹1 crore per megawatt (MW) of installed power capacity.
- Note: The fitment of FGDs in all TPPs in India is not necessary to comply with the NAAQ (National Ambient Air Quality) standards whose compliance is essential to safeguard public health.
