210 MW unit of Badarpur power plant to remain functional

A 210 MW unit of the Badarpur thermal power plant, which was served a closure notice by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), will remain functional as it "meets" the emission norms, a top official said today.
The decision, taken by the Delhi government on December 31, assumes significance as it was one of the power plants identified as major polluters and asked to stop operations on December 8.
However, four other units of the coal-based plant, run by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), and the Rajghat plant will remain shut until March 15, 2016, the official said.
"It will continue to function as long as it meets the prescribed norms. There will be a review of the situation in the first week of March," the official said.

In its reply to the closure notice, NTPC had said that the functioning of the plant, that "meets pollution norms", was essential to meet Delhi's power needs, and that even the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) places demands for power to it.
Of the five units of the plant, three are capable of producing 95 MW each and the rest 210 MW each. NTPC had also said that while it was earlier asked to switch to cleaner fuel like gas, it could not do so due to "unavailability" of the same.
DPCC stipulates that thermal power plants shall not emit particulate matters more than 50 micrograms per cubic metre.

The decision to shut the Badarpur and the Rajghat power plants was part of a series of measures, including the odd-even measure, proposed by the AAP government last month to combat the menace of rising air pollution in the city.