Power crisis: 55,000 mw expansion on anvil

Chennai: Though power cuts in the state are not uncommon, they come at a time when the demand for power is abysmally low; this shows the extent of the power crisis. Failure to augment capacity of thermal power stations in the state in the last decade has led to the present power crisis.

The good news is that a massive expansion of thermal generation capacity to the tune of over 55,000 mw is on the anvil, but it comes at huge environmental cost.

Over 80 per cent of the proposed projects are to be set up in the three districts of Tuticorin, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore, raising environmental concerns. Tuticorin will have the highest concentration of thermal power plants with a capacity of 20,800 mw with Nagapattinam and Cuddalore with 11,800 mw and 8,600 mw, according to the union ministry of environment and forest data.

The proposed gas and coal based thermal power projects are in various stages of implementation.

The total installed electricity generation capacity in the state is around 18,515 mw including 8150 mw from thermal power plants and 8,000 mw from renewable energy sources.

New power projects account for more than seven times the existing installed thermal capacity of 8150 mw. 

According to MoEF statistics, 29,921 mw projects have got environment clearance (EC) while 25,000 mw projects await EC, or have terms of reference (TOR) or are awaiting TOR.

While the state and central sectors have a large share in the existing thermal power stations with about 85 per cent, the proportion of  private sector plants has increased to a whopping 75 per cent.

A senior Tamil Nadu Generation and Dis­tribution Corpora­tion official said that capacity addition and new power projects of the state and the central governments would directly improve the power situation.

“Projects like the NLC-TNEB joint venture project in Tuticorin, Udangudi, Uppur and the Cheyyur ultra mega power project will be commissioned by 2018-19,” the official said, pointing out that the coming up of new state and central projects besides long term power purchase would make the state a power surplus one by the end of next year.

As regards merchant power projects, the official said that they need not get any license from Tangedco under the Electricity Act 2003. The 2003 act enables merchant power plants to generate and sell their power at their will, the official said, adding they do not have any details on private power projects coming up in the state.

Green activists see red in burning coal

Chennai: The massive expansion of thermal power projects has already earned the wrath of environmental activists and local people who have filed several cases in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against various projects.

Of the proposed 55,000 mw coal and gas based thermal power projects, nearly 41,400 mw capacity projects are going to come up in the three districts of Tuticorin, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore.

Cuddalore is one of the union environment ministry notified critically polluted industrial clusters, while Tuticorin has been a sulphur dioxide (SO2) hotspot in the country for some time now.

Environmental activist M. Nizamudeen who has moved the NGT against the IL and FS power project in Cuddalore said concentration of several power plants in close vicinity would cause severe pollution. “Cuddalore is slotted for intensive industrialisation, with several power plants, associated captive jetties, desalination plants and a massive refinery, all of which are to be located between Sipcot Cuddalore and Pichavaram mangroves,” he said.

Nizamudeen, who is also general secretary of the Consumer Federation of Tamil Nadu,  said that prevalence of asthma and other respiratory problems were  already very high in the district due to the presence of the power station and mines of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation.

“New power plants will make the situation worse,” he said, adding that power projects would pollute coastal areas and would directly affect the livelihood of fishermen.

CPI (M) state secretariat member K. Kanagaraj said his party was opposed to the setting up of many thermal power stations in Tuticorin and other districts. “Concentration of many plants in a small area will have cumulative impact on the environment,” he said, adding that the central pollution control board itself had warned that Tuticorin was severely affected by the high presence of SOX and suspended particle matter.

“We are not opposed to thermal power projects as such. But we want state government to intervene to ensure that power plants are widely distributed across the state so that there is no transmission loss,” he said.

Dr S. Elango, former director of Public Health, Tamil Nadu,  said two assessments,  environmental impact and public health impact, have to be done over a radius of five km around the thermal power stations.

Before the commencement of the projects, the mortality rate and the number of people suffering from asthma, among others, have to be collected so that after a year, when the data is again collected, a comparison can be made.

“Every year, such an assessment has to be done. The workforce should be properly checked and have to undergo clinical examinations. As dust particles settle in the air, chances of people having respiratory problems are quite high,” he said.