Eight out of 12 thermal units at NTTPS, RTPP to be decommissioned in a few years in a phased manner 

Energy Department is aware of its commitment and will take necessary steps as and when required, said a top official

VIJAYAWADA

While focusing on the speedy completion of the new units (2X800 Megawatts) at Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station (SDSTPS) and Dr. Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station (NTTPS), the Energy Department is duly working out a plan to decommission the ageing coal-fired power plants as mandated by the Ministry of Power (MoP). However, since shutting down the obsolete ones in a hurry will cripple the ability to meet the surging demand for electricity, it has been decided to start phasing out the units older than 25 years, one at a time but only after achieving stabilisation of the aggregate installed capacity including the above two new units.

In the meantime, constant efforts are being made to comply with the air quality norms laid down under the National Clean Air Program, lest the failure to do so should attract massive penalties.

As desulphurisation of flue gas entails huge expenditure, it is being conditioned through ammonia dosing which is a proven technique to bring down the suspended particulate matter in the air. 

Six out of seven units of NTTPS and two out of five units of Rayalaseema Thermal Power Plant (RTPP) are older than 25 years facing mandatory decommissioning.

All other thermal power units in the State, including those of NTPC and the Hinduja Group (both at Visakhapatnam) and SDSTPS were commissioned after the year 2002. 

The thermal plants are supposed to install FGD (flue gas  desulphurisation) units to control emissions but since they are prohibitively expensive, and there are certain other extraneous factors, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has taken a lenient view of the compliance with pollution norms to be followed by thermal plants across the country and had already deferred the deadlines on quite a few occasions.