Thermal power plants not responsible for Delhi's smog: NTPC

As the poor air quality in the national capital and its health hazards are again making headlines, state-run power major NTPC has said that the coal-fired power units in the NCR are not responsible for the situation.

In a statement, NTPC said that vehicular emissions, construction activities, road dust, industrial emissions and along with stubble burning in the nearby states are contributing to the smog that threatens to have an irreversible effect on the health and immune system.

It said that coal fired power plants have often been accused of increased pollution, which may not always be correct.

"The coal fired units of Dadri are closed since October, but the ambient air quality and Air quality index (AQI) of NCR has been deteriorating day by day. The same units were operational during the lockdown earlier this year with practically no emissions," it said.

The company added that when it comes to emissions, Dadri coal units are amongst the cleanest plants in the country.

It said that all the units of NTPC Dadri power station are equipped with systems to control emissions like ESP for particulate matter, Dry Sorbent Injection, desulfurization system for "SOx" emission and combustion modification for control of "NOx" emissions.

Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) & Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) are installed for real time monitoring of ambient air quality, the statement said.

NTPC Dadri thermal plant has developed the facility for co-firing of rice stubble agro-waste pellets. More than 8,000 metric tonnes of agro pellets have been fired in last two years and this has avoided stubble burning in almost 4,000 acres of farmland, it said.

The use of agro-waste pellets for power generation at Dadri station is helping farmers financially and also in reducing the carbon footprint of power generation, it said.

"The irony is that all the coal units at Dadri are under shutdown and the opportunity for generation of green power from agro-pellets is lost," said NTPC..