New Delhi: Thermal power plants are not responsible for the deteriorating air quality of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) and while coal-fired power plants are often accused of increased pollution, it may not always be correct, NTPC has said.
“The coal-fired units of Dadri (power plant) are closed since October, but the ambient air quality and Air Quality Index (AQI) of NCR has been deteriorating day by day,” the state-owned power generator said in a statement.
It added that the same units were operational during the lockdown earlier this year with practically no emissions and, in fact, when it comes to emissions, Dadri coal units are amongst the cleanest not only in NTPC but the whole country.
“All the units of NTPC Dadri power station are equipped with state-of-the-art systems to control emissions like ESP for Particulate matter, Dry Sorbent Injection, desulfurization system for SOx emission and combustion modification for control of NOx emissions,” the company said.
Also, the plant has Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) and Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) installed for real-time monitoring of ambient air quality.
“The use of agro-waste pellets for power generation at Dadri station is helping farmers financially and also in reducing the carbon footprint of power generation. The irony is that all the coal units at Dadri are under shutdown and the opportunity for generation of green power from parli or agro-pellets is lost,” the statement said.
The Dadri thermal plant has developed the facility for co-firing of rice stubble agro-waste pellets. More than 8,000 Metric Tonnes of agro pellets have been fired in the past two years and this has avoided stubble (Parali) burning in 4,000 acres of farmland.
