Coal plants in India set to miss pollution goal as smog chokes Delhi

Most of India’s coal-burning plants are set to again fall short of a major pollution target, adding to the deadly smog that’s enveloped large parts of the country.

By Connect Gujarat Desk 20 Nov 2024

in Business

Coal plants in India set to miss pollution goal as smog chokes Delhi

New Update

Most of India’s coal-burning plants are set to again fall short of a major pollution target, adding to the deadly smog that’s enveloped large parts of the country.

About three-quarters of the coal-fired generators near major cities are set to miss a year-end deadline to install equipment to curb sulfur-dioxide emissions, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified as the information isn’t public.

If fully implemented, such systems could cut India’s emissions of the pollutant by almost two-thirds, benefiting air quality and public health, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Sulfur dioxide breaks down into sulfates, which can account for almost a third of the particulate mass that forms India’s smog, according to Manoj Kumar, an analyst at the Finland-based research group.

About 20 gigawatts worth of coal plants near cities face the December deadline. Other generators near critically polluted areas must comply by end-2025, and the remainder a year later.

The nation first targeted a clean-up of power plant emissions in 2015, and has already delayed compliance targets twice.

The Ministry of Power is preparing to seek a third extension of the deadline, as well as an exemption for plants that have fewer than 10 years to run, according to the people.

Less than 10 per cent of the nation’s total 218-gigawatt coal power fleet currently has the pollution control equipment installed.

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