19 Coal-Based Thermal Power Plants of total capacity 2.3 GW retired in last three years
19 Coal-Based Thermal Power Plants of total capacity 2.3 GW retired in last three years
The Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy has informed about the rules and regulations regarding decommissioning of thermal power plants.
For safe management, handling and disposal of hazardous substances and dismantling of scrapped thermal power plants and disposal, Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) are required to follow various rules and regulations, guidelines such as:
Generation is a de-licensed activity as per Section 7 of the Electricity Act, 2003. Decision to decommission a coal based thermal unit and rehabilitating the labourers and casual workers who may lose their jobs after decommissioning of a coal-based power plant is taken by power generating companies based on their own techno-economic & commercial considerations and environmental reasons. In general, the labourers and casual workers who may lose their work after a coal-based unit is decommissioned, gets reemployed in other available assignments of the utility on a case-to-case basis.
19 coal-based units of 2344 MW capacity have been retired in the last three years i.e. from 01.01.2021 to 31.01.2024. The State-wise list of retired coal-based units is given below.
List of coal based Thermal Units Retired in the last three years
(from 01.01.2021 to 31.01.2024)
Sl. No.
Name of Station/Plant
State
Fuel
Unit
No.
No of Units
Installed Capacity (MW)
Retired (MW)
Retired on
1
BOKARO `B` TPS
Jharkhand
Coal
3
1
210 (1*210)
210
01.04.2021
2
Korba-III
Chhattisgarh
Coal
1,2
2
240 (2*120)
240
01.01.2021
3
TALCHER (OLD) TPS
Odisha
Coal
1,2,3,4,5,6
6
460 (4*60+
2*110)
460
01.04.2021
4
Koradi TPS
Maharashtra
Coal
7
1
210
(1*210)
210
02.09.2021
5
MUZAFFARPUR TPS
Bihar
Coal
1,2
2
220
(2*110)
220
31.01.2022
6
Bandel TPS
West Bengal
Coal
1
1
60(1*60)
60
28.03.2022
7
Kolaghat TPS
West Bengal
Coal
1,2
2
420
(2*210)
420
28.03.2022
8
OBRA TPS
Uttar Pradesh
Coal
7
1
94
(1*94)
94
13.10.2022
9
DURGAPUR TPS
West Bengal
Coal
4
1
210 (1*210)
210
19.12.2022
10
PARICHHA TPS
Uttar Pradesh
Coal
1,2
2
220
(2*110)
220
11.10.2023
Total
19
2344
The Central Electricity Authority has issued an advisory to all the Thermal Power Utilities not to retire or repurpose their coal-based power stations (units having capacity of more than 200 MW) before 2030 and to ensure the availability of thermal units after carrying out Renovation and Modernization (R&M) activities, if required, considering the expected energy demand scenario and availability of capacity in future.
This information has been given by the Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri R. K. Singh, in a written reply to a question, in Lok Sabha today, February 8, 2024.
- Adherence with the environmental norms as applicable under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1976 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.