State-owned NTPC has decided to shut down old polluting power plants of capacity totalling roughly 11 GW and replace those with new ones which are highly efficient.
Replying to questions, the Power Minister Piyush Goyal said there is no proposal to discontinue thermal power plants and the older plants should be gradually phased out, and new ones should be set up.
According to PTI, Goyal said that NTPC has already decided to close down roughly 11,000 MW of old thermal plants which are polluting and causing distress in the local areas also and not good for the country. The government is planning to replace these with new power plants which are highly efficient, supercritical technology power plants.
He also said there was international ban on thermal plants
Regarding hydro power projects, Goyal said there were issues like land acquisition, forest and environment clearances, local agitations and dispute between states on water sharing.
Citing an example of Lakhwar multi-purpose project, he said it is a matter of “grave concern” that despite all approvals, states concerned are yet to agree on sharing the benefits.
He said Supreme Court has stopped 24 projects in Uttarakhand from development in Ganga-Bhagirathi basin.
He also said that a generating company intending to set up hydro generating station is required to obtain concurrence of Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for schemes involving capital expenditure of Rs 10 billion and above.
