In a boost to the plans of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) to expand its thermal power project — STPP — with the addition of an 800 MW unit to the existing two 600 MW units, an expert appraisal committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has recommended environmental clearance by stipulating several conditions.
The expansion plans of the SCCL’s thermal power plant at Pegadapalli in Mancherial district have run into rough weather with the MoEF’s expert committee rejecting the proposal thrice raising several queries and seeking additional information from November last year, when the proposal for increased unit capacity, from 600 MW to 800 MW, was submitted first. The proposal was turned down again in June and July this year for want of more information and gaps in the plans to address environmental issues.
At a meeting of the expert appraisal committee held on August 23 in New Delhi, the panel members considered the additional information submitted by the project proponent, SCCL, and recommended grant of environmental clearance by stipulating conditions in addition to the standard ones.
Land limit
According to officials, the MoEF panel has stipulated that requirement of land for establishing the 800 MW unit should not exceed 127.31 hectares, including for main plant, equipment, coal handling plant, ash dyke and greenbelt.
On the coal requirement for the new unit, the committee specified that it should not exceed 4.05 million tonne per annum (MTPA) out of the planned production of 10 MTPA from the Naini coal block located at Chhendipada in Angul district of Odisha. Further, the panel asked SCCL to transport the required coal only by rail and road transportation is not permitted.
Coal source
However, in case of change in coal source and its location, a fresh reference has to be made to the MoEF for seeking amendment in EC for assessing adequate impacts and stipulating pollution control measures. The new emergency ash pond for the 800 MW unit should be restricted to only 30 ha and the remaining area of 29.44 ha towards Pegadapalli should only be developed as greenbelt. Besides, the committee has further stipulated that total requirement (drawal) of water from Pranahitha and Godavari rivers should not exceed 1,35,800 cubic meters a day, including 88,800 cubic meters for the 800 MW unit and 48,000 cubic meters for the existing 2×600 MW units. The panel also stipulated conditions on the implementation of new emission norms and measures for rainwater harvesting.
