Inefficient as always
Down To Earth|July 16, 2021
In violation of guidelines, most coal power plants guzzle massive amounts of freshwater, even in water-stressed areas
UGANDHA ARORA SARDANA
Inefficient as always

COAL-BASED power plants remain among the most inefficient units in the country. In addition to polluting air, they single-handedly utilize about 70 per cent of the total freshwater consumed by all industries.

While the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC) rolled out guidelines to curtail water usage by the plants only in 2015, compliance by the sector remains extremely low. What's worse, the government agencies, instead of taking action against the erring plants, have actively diluted the rules and extended deadlines to allow non-compliance (see 'Indefinite delays', p17). So much so, the sector currently does not have a deadline to embrace the 2015 guidelines, and almost half of the plants continue to guzzle massive amounts of freshwater.

The 2015 guidelines, under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, mandate that coal-based power plants installed before January 1, 2017, need to keep their water consumption rate to 3.5 cubic meters per megawatt-hour (m 3 /MWh). Those installed after the specified date must limit their consumption rate to 2.5 m 3 /MWh. The plants initially had time till December 2017 to comply with the standards.

In June 2018, six months after the deadline, more fcc issued an amendment that distinguished power plants using freshwater for cooling from those using seawater. It then exempted the power plants that use seawater from the guidelines. The amendment also revised the norms for new coal power plants, allowing them to increase their water consumption from 2.5 m 3 /MWh to 3 m 3 /MWh.

FREE REIN

The dilution and delays in the implementation of the guidelines are only one part of the story. The other is the complete absence of monitoring by the government agencies.

This story is from the July 16, 2021 edition of Down To Earth.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 16, 2021 edition of Down To Earth.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM DOWN TO EARTHView All
International Women's Day Special SHE
Down To Earth

International Women's Day Special SHE

In India, women self-help groups have been a source of empowerment, fostering economic independence, social stature and community resilience.

time-read
10 mins  |
March 01, 2024
MODERATELY YOURS
Down To Earth

MODERATELY YOURS

The crunchy, slightly sweet tubers of shankhalu can be a healthy addition to one's diet

time-read
3 mins  |
March 01, 2024
TROUBLED TEAK
Down To Earth

TROUBLED TEAK

Farmers need to be sensitised about right planting materials and cultivation techniques to benefit from high-value teak plantations

time-read
6 mins  |
March 01, 2024
Follow the Chinese way on high tech
Down To Earth

Follow the Chinese way on high tech

Making universities the hub of innovation and churning out scientists adept in frontier technology has put China at the top

time-read
4 mins  |
March 01, 2024
Stronger resolve
Down To Earth

Stronger resolve

In the face of climate change, countries make a slew of commitments to ensure conservation of migratory species

time-read
2 mins  |
March 01, 2024
MIND YOUR THOUGHTS
Down To Earth

MIND YOUR THOUGHTS

Technologies with potential to read one’s thoughts have grown tremendously in recent years driven largely by artificial intelligence, a develooment that raises ethical and privacy issues

time-read
5 mins  |
March 01, 2024
Winter Without Snow
Down To Earth

Winter Without Snow

Record-low snowfall in the Himalayas is evidence that climate change is speeding up

time-read
3 mins  |
February 16, 2024
UNDERRATED GREEN
Down To Earth

UNDERRATED GREEN

Kohlrabi is a healthy but little used member of the cabbage family

time-read
3 mins  |
February 16, 2024
Historical hindsight
Down To Earth

Historical hindsight

An encyclopaedic work capturing the breathless changes in Assam’s recent history as well as its struggle for identity and modernity

time-read
6 mins  |
February 16, 2024
Making jugaad a global success
Down To Earth

Making jugaad a global success

Frugal innovation is the new concept that companies are adopting to take technology to developing countries

time-read
4 mins  |
February 16, 2024