Challenges, recommendations for meeting 2017 norms for air pollution from thermal power plants in India

Rahul Tongia and

Rahul Tongia Nonresident Senior Fellow - Foreign Policy, Energy Security and Climate Initiative

Deborah Seligsohn

DS

Deborah Seligsohn Environmental Policy Scholar - UC San Diego

• Older thermal power plants in India are either grandfathered into allowing their existing emissions norms or have weaker requirements than new plants;
• Technologies for complying seem technologically feasible but there is uncertainty about required level of modification;
• Timeframes for compliance appear overly aggressive and somewhat unfeasible;
• Estimated costs for compliance seem affordable—power generation costs could increase by 5-7% for plants with all equipment installed;
• Urgent need for continuous emission monitoring systems, as well as for increase in air quality monitoring sites, especially outside larger cities;
• Need for a feasible roadmap for installation of required equipment, in addition to improvements in norms that incentivise dispatching cleaner coal first.