The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) is making some progress, despite inexplicable delays, in obtaining clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for its future projects.
The MoEF’s reconstituted expert appraisal committee on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for thermal power projects has extended the validity of Environmental Clearance (EC) for the 1x660 MW Ennore supercritical thermal power plant.
The proposal was for extension of the validity of the EC, accorded on June 3, 2009, and the subsequent amendment in 2013 for a change in the project configuration from 600 MW subcritical to 660 MW supercritical. It was granted based on 30 per cent imported and 70 per cent domestic coal as fuel. Subsequently, there was uncertainty in getting domestic coal. The Tangedco decided to go in for 100 per cent imported coal.
At present, the site grading work has been completed, and office buildings were being constructed. The Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the main plant work was awarded to ‘Lanco’ in February this year and work was taken up.
Based on the information and clarifications provided by the Tangedco, the MoEF committee, at its meeting last month, noted that no public interest would be served by denying the extension sought. However, the committee recommended that additional conditions be stipulated.
Similarly, the committee decided to grant extension in accordance with the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006, for the 1,200-MW imported coal-based thermal power plant in Kattupalli and Kalanji in Ponneri taluk of Tiruvallur district.
The Tangedco’s proposal for extending the validity of ToR for the preparation of the EIA/EMP report was cleared for one more year as per the MoEF’s policies. The Tangedco informed the committee that the finalisation of the comprehensive marine study report took time. On finalisation, it said, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board would be approached for a public hearing. The general election was also cited as a reason.
For the Ennore Thermal Power Station (ETPS) replacement thermal power project (1x660 MW), the committee recommended standard terms of references for undertaking a detailed EIA study. The plan is to have a single 600-MW unit replacing the existing ETPS units (2x60 MW and 3x110 MW), which were commissioned during 1970-1975. Four of them are to be de-commissioned in phases by 2015-16.
