In pollution glare,PSU likely to close

The state PSU has already shut down two 110 MW units at Parichha thermal power station in Jhansi district following the CPCB directive.

“The CPCB had issued notice for two power plants at Obra (Sonbhadra district) and Parichha. The CPCB asked for closure of five units of Obra. Units No 1 and 2 are already shut for refurbishment and the process of installation of ESP has been completed. Later the CPCB amended its notice and asked not to run units No 6,7 and 8 in Obra without the installation of ESP,” said Alok Tandon,CMD of UP Rajya Vidyut Utpandan Nigam.

He said unit No 6 was closed and Nos 7 and 8 were proposed to be phased out in 2014-15,as by then a 1,320 MW thermal power plant at Meja (joint venture of UP govt and NTPC) would be commissioned. “We have sought permission from the CPCB for running the two units for the next four years by installing MP cyclone,a lower-capacity ESP,as we have decided to phase out both the units by 2014-15. We are awaiting a response from the CPCB. We will comply with the directive,” said Tandon.

“The cost of installing ESP at one unit is close to Rs 50 crore,and the unit has to be shut for at least eight months for installation of pollution control equipment,” he added. Pollution control equipment is available at the Parichha plant for both the units and they have sought time for installation of ESP in unit No 1,he said.

The installed capacity of the Parichha plant is 640 MW and Obra plant 1,382 MW.

The CPCB,in its notice issued to the corporation in August last year,raised objections over non-installation of ESP,which forms an integral part of the pollution control system for collecting fly ash generated by coal-based thermal power plants.

The notice was issued following a complaint by Union minister of state for rural development Pradeep Jain Aditya,the MP from Jhansi.

S P Gautam,the CPCB chairman,today visited the Parichha thermal power plant to gather information on the implementation of anti-pollution measures.

The power utility has five thermal power plants in the state — Anpara,Harduaganj,Panki,Obra and Parichha — with total installed capacity of 4,082 MW.