The new draft notification also gives 10 years to thermal power plants to utilise fly ash or legacy ash which is stored. For the first time, the notification has a provision of imposing fines on thermal power plants that don’t comply with the new timeline.
The Union environment ministry has extended the deadline for thermal power plants to ensure 100% utilisation of fly ash by 3 to 5 years, according to a new draft notification issued by the ministry on April 22.
It also gives 10 years to thermal power plants to utilise the unutilised fly ash, or legacy ash which is stored. For the first time, the notification has a provision of imposing fines on thermal power plants that don’t comply with the new timelines.
The previous deadline for 100% fly ash utilisation was December 31, 2017, as per a notification issued by the ministry on January 25, 2016. As per the new draft notification, thermal power plants (TPP) with fly ash utilisation of 60% to 80% will get 4 years while those with fly ash utilisation of less than 60% will get 5 years’ time to ensure 100% fly ash utilisation.
Non-compliant power plants will be slapped a fine of ₹1,000 per tonne on unutilised ash during the end of the deadline. Coal or lignite plants which are not able to utilise 100% of ash in the third year of the next three-year cycle, would be liable to pay a fine of ₹1,000 per tonne on the unutilised quantity.
