Phasing out of coal-based thermal power plants and adoption of super-critical technologies in thermal power plants

The Union Minister of Energy and New and Renewable Energy has informed Rajya Sabha The government has not formulated any plans to phase out the country’s aging coal-fired power plants; The Central Electricity Authority published a notice dated 20.01.2023 which suggested that no retirement or conversion of coal-fired power plants will be carried out before 2030, considering the projected energy demand scenario and the availability of capacity in future. Thermal power plants have also been advised to implement renovation and modernization (R&M) and life extension (LE) of their units for operation to 2030 and beyond or for two-shift mode operation to facilitate the integrating solar and wind energy into the grid where possible. Generation is a licensed activity under Section 7 of the Electricity Act, 2003 and the phasing out/retirement of units is decided by the energy companies on the basis of their technical, economic and environmental reasons.

The Minister also informed that in order to obtain greater efficiencies and reduce the carbon footprint, a large number of thermal power plants operating in the country have already adopted supercritical/ultrasupercritical technologies. To date, 94 coal-fired thermal power plants are in operation for a total power of 65,150 MW with supercritical/ultrasupercritical technologies.

This information was provided by Union Minister for Energy and New and Renewable Energy Shri RK Singh, in a written reply to a question, in Rajya Sabha on 8th August 2023.

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PIB DELHI | AM/DJM