Thermal power plants allowed to use coal with high ash content
NEW DELHI: The environment ministry has decided that it will no longer regulate the ash-content of coal used by thermal power plants. On Thursday, the ministry issued a notification that overturned its January 2014 regulation that made it mandatory for all coal-based power plants located 500 kilometres or more from the pit-head or coal mine to use raw or blended or beneficiated coal with no more than 34 per cent ash content.
Under the new norms, thermal power stations will be able to use coal irrespective of ash content and will liable for proper disposal of coal ash and meeting emission standards set by the Central Pollution Control Board.
