India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has revised its 2015 emission standards for thermal power plants, significantly relaxing the mandatory requirement for flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems. This regulatory update, poised to potentially reduce power costs by 25-30 paise per kilowatt-hour, reflects a nuanced approach to pollution control, balancing the nation’s immense energy demands with its environmental commitments amidst a complex energy transition.
Under the new guidelines, FGD installation will remain compulsory only for plants situated within a 10-kilometre radius of cities with populations exceeding one million, including the National Capital Region. The mandate also extends to facilities in critically polluted areas or non-attainment cities, subject to case-by-case evaluation by a central expert committee. Furthermore, plants utilising high-sulphur imported coal must continue to employ this emission control technology, ensuring targeted environmental safeguards where they are most critically needed.
This policy shift, which could benefit nearly 80 per cent of India’s coal-fired plants, follows extensive research conducted by premier Indian institutions, including IIT Delhi, CSIR-NEERI, and the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Their findings indicated that ambient sulphur dioxide levels remain within acceptable limits even at plants without FGD systems in many regions, challenging the necessity of universal application. The decision also directly addresses the substantial costs associated with FGD technology, which industry estimates significantly increase generation expenses.
While environmental advocates have voiced concerns that these relaxed standards could impede progress towards cleaner air targets, government officials maintain that the move represents a more strategic allocation of resources. They argue that this targeted approach mirrors policies in developed nations, such as the United States and European Union members, where FGD requirements are similarly focused rather than universally applied. The revised norms also exempt smaller Category C plants located outside major urban centres from FGD mandates, provided they adhere to existing stack height regulations established in 1990.
This balanced approach acknowledges India’s continued heavy reliance on thermal power, which currently supplies approximately 80 per cent of the nation’s electricity. Energy experts suggest the policy reflects the practical challenges of India’s energy transition, seeking to maintain reliable power supplies while working towards long-term sustainability goals. The government asserts that the updated standards were developed after careful study of both environmental impacts and economic realities in the power sector, aiming to ensure a stable energy future that supports the nation’s growth and its aspirations for sustainable, equitable cities.
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