The Expert Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has asked Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) to take up revised impact assessment in tune with its plans to increase the capacity of its proposed thermal power plant, second stage of the existing 2×600 MW project at Pegadapalli in Mancherial district, from 600 MW to 800 MW.
At its meeting held in New Delhi on August 30, the expert panel examined the fresh proposal submitted by the project proponent, SCCL, for issuance of terms of reference as part of the process for getting environmental clearance for its 800 MW thermal power generation unit with super critical technology in place of the 600 MW unit planned earlier with sub-critical technology and has issued instructions.
On being pointed out by the member secretary of the expert committee that there is already a ToR issued for 1×600MW coal-based Singareni Thermal Power Plant at the same location on May 27, 2015 and that it is valid till May 26, 2018, the project proponent clarified that it has been proposed to increase the configuration of the unit from 600 MW to 800 MW and there is no second plant proposed.
The SCCL and its consultants explained further that in the ToR issue in 2015 one of the condition stipulated that the project proponent should explore the feasibility of switching to super critical technology and accordingly they had decided to increase the capacity to 800 MW with the more eco-friendly technology. The panel, however, felt that the project proponent should be applied for amendment of existing ToR instead of fresh application with reference to the existing ToR.
On the suggestion of the panel, the SCCL has sought withdrawal of existing ToR by submitting a letter during that meeting itself. Further, the committee suggested the project proponent to apply for amendment of existing ToR for increase in capacity with revised documentation, clearly indicating change in land, raw materials and impacts associated with the increase in capacity from 600 MW to 800 MW.
After detailed deliberations, the committee recommended for amendment of existing ToR for increase in capacity of the new unit from 600 MW to 800 MW with additional terms of reference including impact assessment on downstream users, agriculture and aquatic life due to water withdrawal from Godavari/Pranahita rivers, maintenance of minimum effluent flow for sustenance of ecology and environment in the downstream, water allocation and measures for noise barriers.
