New Delhi: Central Pollution Control Board has defended before National Green Tribunal (NGT) the regulatory action against thermal power plants accused of failing to meet mandatory biomass co-firing requirements.
The written submission was filed against the appeals by Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar, Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant in Hisar and Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd in Punjab against actions by Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM), which had imposed a combined environmental compensation of about Rs 61.9 crore on six thermal power plants for failing to meet biomass co-firing requirements during 2024-25. The plant in Punjab accounts for the largest share at Rs 33 crore, followed by Panipat Thermal Power Station at Rs 8.9 crore, the Yamunanagar plant at Rs 6.7 crore and the Hisar plant at Rs 5.6 crore.
Under the 2023 rules, coal-based power plants are required to use a 5% blend of biomass pellets or briquettes made from crop residue with coal. For 2024-25, plants were required to achieve more than 3% co-firing to avoid environmental compensation. NGT has granted conditional interim relief in some of the appeals, with the plants required to deposit 50% of the compensation. CAQM said in Aug that Rs 30.9 crore — half of the total penalty — had been received following NGT’s interim orders.
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Last year, Association of Power Producers also argued that the domestic torrefied-pellet market was underdeveloped and that supply limitations, rather than unwillingness, contributed to the shortfall.