ENVIRONMENT

MANAGEMENT
 Coal and Energy Scenario
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 300 million tonnes in 2000- 2001.

Seventy percent of the total coal produced is

consumed for power generation. Steel & cement
are other major consumers.
 Summary Table of Electric
Power Generation (1999)
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.
POLLUTION CONTROL
ACTS, RULES AND
REGUALATION FOR
THERMAL POWER
PLANTS
 MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS / RULES
1. The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

2. The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess, Act, 1977.

3. The Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

4. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

5. Environmental Impact Assessment Notification

6. The Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1989.

7. The Bio - Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1988.

8. The Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000.

9. The Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000.

10. The batteries (Management and Handling) Rules 2001.

 Functions of the Central Board
(At National Level)
Advise the Central Government on any matter
concerning prevention and control of water and air
pollution;
Plan and execute nation‑wide Pollution Control
programmes;
Co-ordinate the activities of State Boards and
Pollution Control Committees;
Provide technical assistance and guidance to the
State Boards
Carryout an sponsor investigation and research
related to pollution control;;
Plan and organise training programmes; . Contd..
Organise mass awareness programmes;
Collect, compile and publish technical and
statistical data relating to water and air
pollution;
Prepare manuals, codes and guidelines
relating to treatment and disposal of wastes;
Disseminate information in respect of
matters relating to water and air pollution;
Lay down, modify or annul water and air
quality standards; and
Perform such other functions as and when
prescribed by the Government of India.
 STANDARD DEVELOPMENT UNDER AIR ACT
 Section 16 (2) (h) of Air Act
Central Board to lay down Standard for the quality of air (ambient air)
 Section 17 (1) (g) of Air Act
S.P.C.B. to lay down, in consultation with CPCB and having regard to
the ambient air quality standard laid down by CPCB, standards for
emission of air pollution into the atmosphere from Industrial plants
and automobiles and for the discharge of any air pollutants into the
atmosphere from any other source (except ship and aircraft)
 Section 19 (1) of Air Act
State Govt. in consultation with SPCB to lay down Air Pollution
Control Area
 Section 19 (1) (5) of Air Act
State Govt. after consultation with SPCB prohibit the burning of
any material in any air pollution control area.
STANDARD DEVELOPMENT UNDER WATER ACT
 Section 16 (2) (g)
Central Board may lay down, modify and annul, in consultation with
State Govt. concerned, the Standard for a stream or well

 Section 17 (1) (g)

S.P.C.B. shall lay down, modify and annul effluent standards for the
sewage and trade effluents and for the quality of receiving water
resulting from the discharge of effluent and to classify waters of the
State.
 Section 17 (1) (k)
SPCB shall lay down standard for treatment of sewage and trade
effluent to be discharge into any particular stream taking into account
the minimum fair weather dilution available in that stream and the
tolerance limits of pollution permissible in the water of the stream, after
the discharge of such effluents.
STANDARD DEVELOPMENT UNDER E P ACT 1986

 Section 6 (1) (2)

The Central Government may be notification into official

Gazette, make rules in respect to following,

(a) The standard of quality of air, water or soil for various

areas and purposes.

(b) the maximum allowable limits of concentration of

various environmental pollutants (including noise) for
different areas.
 Water (Prevention and Control
of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977 --
An Act to provide for the levy and collection of a
cess on water consumed by persons carrying on certain
specified industries (indicated in schedule – I of this
Act) and by Local authorities except those Local
authorities who are supplying water to other Industries
or other.
Local authorities as for example DVC
{Under section 3 of sub section (1), (2), (3)} MoEF
Notification G.S.R> 377 (E) dated 16th April 1993,
Hydel Power Station’s name has been included in
schedule I of the water cess Act, 1977 but the said
amendment is not being done in accordance with the
law.
Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986

This act gives very wide power to the Govt. for

protection and control of Environmental Pollution.
Under this Act no person or industry can discharge
or emit Environmental Pollutants in excess of such
standards as may be prescribed. Non compliance of
the directions for a) Closer and b) Stoppage or
regulation of the supply of electricity or water or any
other services. Contravention is punishable with
imprisonment upto five years or with fine upto one
Lakh rupees.
 A series of Gazette Notifications under this Act have
brought into being a rich corpus of rules and subordinate
legislations as well as a host of authorities. Some of the
notifications related to thermal Power plants are:

i) Extraordinary Notification no. S.O. 319

(E) dated 10.04.1997 --
Central Govt. imposed certain restrictions
and prohibitions on the expansion and
modernization of any project unless environment
clearance has been granted by the Central or State
Govt. Under such Notification Power conferred to
State Govt. for issuance of environmental clearance
to the utility projects to install TPS upto 250 MW
using conventional technologies and 500 MW using
Gas / Naptha or Fluidized bed technology.
ii) Extraordinary Gazette Notification no.
S.O. 763 (E) dated 14.09.1999 on Fly Ash
Utilization
a) No person located 50 Km radius of any TPS can
manufacture clay bricks, tiles or blocks without
mixing at least 25% fly ash or pond ash with soil.
b) Thermal Power Plants are to utilize 100% of ash,
i. For New Plants – 30% within three years and
100% within 9 years.
ii. For Existing Thermal Power Plants – 20%
within three years and 100% within 15 years.
iii) Extraordinary Gazette Notification no.
G.S.R. 560 (E) dated 19.09.1997 on
Fly Ash Utilization
On and from 1st June 2001 the coal based TPS
shall use beneficiated coal with an ash content
not exceeding 34% namely:
i) Thermal Power Plants located beyond 1000
Km from pit head.
ii) Power Plants located in critically polluted
areas, urban areas and in ecologically sensitive
areas.
iv) Further Amendment Gazette
Notification no. G.S.R. 378 (E) dated
30.06.1998 --
Says for the words “beneficiated
coal with an ash content not
exceeding 34%” will be the words
“raw or blended or beneficiated
coal with an ash content not
exceeding 34% on an annual
average basis”
v) Further Amendment Gazette
Notification no. G.S.R. 407 (E) dated
31.05.2001 --

Says effective date of use of

beneficiated / blended coal will be
from 1st June 2002 instead of 1st
June 2001.
Pollution Load from Coal Based Thermal
Power Plant

Pollutants Emissions (in tones/day)

CO2 424650

Particulate Matter 4374

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%

Therm al Power
Plants
89%
 Environmental Standards/
Guidelines

Central Pollution Control Board has

developed emission & waste water
discharge standards for thermal power
plants during the year 1984 & 1986
respectively. These standards were
subsequently notified under Environment
(Protection ) Act 1986.
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
 Stack Height Requirements
• The power plants sanctioned by CEA earlier to July
1, 1994 may not be required to increase existing
stack height as per regulation notified, vide Govt. of
India notification no. GSR. 742 (E) dated August 30,
1990 subject to the following conditions:

• The ambient sulphur-dioxide and NOx concentration

around the power plant is less than 1/3 the
prescribed ambient air quality standard for SOx and
NOx for the concerned area.

• For the above power plant shall install adequate

number of air quality monitoring stations in and
around the power stations. The stations should be
selected in consultation with CPCB/SPCBs.
 Environmental Standards for discharge of
Liquid Effluents

Sources Pollutants Concentration

Condenser Cooling pH 6.5-8.5
Water (Once Temperature not more
through cooling than 100C of the intake
system) water temperature
Free available 0.5 mg/l
chlorine
Boiler blow down Suspended solids 100 mg/l
Oil & Grease 20 mg/l
Copper (Total) 1.0 mg/l
Iron (Total) 1.0 mg/l
 Environmental Standards for discharge of
Liquid Effluents (Cont’d)
Sources Pollutants Concentrations
Cooling Tower Free available 9.5 mg/l
Blow down Chlorine
Zinc 1.0 mg/l
Chromium 0.2 mg/l
Phosphate 5.0 mg/l

The other The limit to be

corrosion established on case
inhibiting to case basis
materials
Ash pond effluent pH 6.5-8.5
SS 100 mg/l
Oil& Grease 20 mg/l
Heavy metals no limit at present
 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, DENO x &
De SOx 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
 Requirements of
Beneficiated/Blended Coal
 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.

 As per Central Electricity Authority estimation, the

requirement of beneficiated coal for existing and the new
power plants to be installed under Ninth Plan would be
85.46 MTs per annum.

 Coal India Limited would be able to meet the requirements

of 68.48 MTs per annum beneficiated coal from their
sources (through existing washeries and blending of
domestic coal). The remaining quantity could be met by
blending imported and domestic coal at coastal thermal
power plants and changing the linkages suitably.
 Coal Benefication Status
Coal Benefication Plants under Operation:
Piparwar Washery Orissa 6.5 MT/Y
Bina Deshaling Plant Madhya Pradesh 4.5 MT/Y
Bilaspur Washery Madhya Pradesh 2.5 MT/Y
Girdih Washery Bihar 2.5 MT/Y
Kargali Washery Bihar 1.5 MT/Y
Dipika Washery Orissa 8.0 MT/Y

Coal Benefication Plants under Planning:

 Talcher
 Ib Valley
 North Karanpura
 Flyash Generation
 Seventy percent of electricity generation in the
country is contributed by coal based thermal
power plants
 Supply of poor quality of coal with high ash
content to the power plants is responsible for
large quantity of flyash generation
 About 80 million tones of flyash is generated
annually in the country
 Conventional wet disposal of flyash causes water
and air pollution besides requirement of large area
 More than 56,000 acres of land has been
occupied by the power plants
 Mitigative Measures
 Power plants should use low ash containing
(beneficiated) coal to reduce ash generation at
power plat site

 Adopt ion of alternate flyash disposal Systems

such as dry disposal in mound form/high ash
concentration slurry disposal

 Promoting utilization of flyash

 Flyash Utilisation
 Presently, 16% of the total flyash generation is being utilised in the
country while utilisation in Germany, China & U.S.A. is 100 %, 42% and
65 % respectively.

 The major flyash utilisation areas:

In the manufacture of portland pozzolona cement (ppc), sintered

aggregate, blocks etc.
Manufacture of flyash bricks
Sub-base formation for roads and embankments
Reclamation of low lying area by filling ash
Back filling in the open cast mines
Application in agriculture
Flyash Production & Utilisation

Million Tonnes
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4 Ash Production
0.3 Use of Ash

0.2
0.1
0
Japan U.S.A. E.U. India
 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
 Use of Flyash, Bottom Ash or Pond Ash in
Manufacture of Bricks and Other
Construction Activities
 No person shall within a radius of 50 kms
from thermal power plants, manufacture clay
bricks, tiles or blocks without mixing atleast
25% of flyash or pond ash with soil.
 Orissa and Gujarat Pollution Control Boards
have taken initiatives for implementation of
above directive remaining SPCB’s have been
again asked to take the action against the non
complying units.
 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.
 Environmental Issues in
Coal based Power Plant
 Ash disposal and Management (100
million tonnes of ash is generated every
year)
 SO2 control from Thermal Power Plants
located in problem area (Singrauli,
Korba, etc.), Disposal of FGD sludge
 Fugitive Emission from ash pond
 Hg Emission and control from coal based
power plants
 NOX control from Thermal Power Plants
 Particulate Emission Control (ESP vs Bag
Filter) from coal based power plants
 Ground water pollution due to Leaching of
metals from ash pond effluent
 Clean Coal Technologies issues
 Inconsistent supply of coal to power plants
 Pollution problem at Coal Mining Areas
 Coal benefication – Cost, use of rejects,
ownership
 Fly ash utilization issues (Fly ash pozzolona
cement, Fly ash bricks, Mine filling, etc.)
Thank you