Rajghat power unit to stay for a year

NEW DELHI: The Rajghat power plant, the only coal-based power plant operational in central Delhi, will not be closed down for at least another year. The plant has been held responsible for tonnes of toxic emissions into Delhi's air and directions to close it down were issued in 2011. However, the power department maintains that if the plant is shut down immediately, certain parts of Delhi will face a blackout.

"We cannot shut the plant down immediately and it will take at least a year before things start moving on the issue. Several measures have been taken to reduce emissions from the plant but we are aware that a lot more can be done. However, since the plant is now scheduled for closure, we are making no further investments in it and hence nothing more can be done," said a senior government official.

The decision to close down Rajghat and the other two coal-based plants was taken in a bid to clean Delhi's air. The first of the three, the Indraprastha power station, was closed down in 2010; and in 2011, directions had been issued to shut down Rajghat. The third plant, Badarpur thermal power plant, continues to operate in the southeast corner of the city.

Initially, there were plans of shutting down Rajghat by March 31, 2013, but in a review it has been decided to extend this date, said sources. "Delhi is still not getting sufficient gas for its Bawana power plant. GAIL has confirmed its share but the supply from Reliance's KG Basin fields is still uncertain. That is directly responsible for 250MW generation and another 100-oddMW through steam. Unless a continuous supply is assured, it will be very difficult to shut down Rajghat," said sources.

A government official said that the plant, commissioned in 1989, is more than 20 years old and its capacity and efficiency has decreased substantially. "We had taken this decision to switch to gas and renewable sources for power production in the city in keeping with our clean air policy but power generation is important too. Unless there is sufficient power available, we cannot force the power department to shut down a plant. However, the emissions from the plant are well within prescribed standards so it is not an immediate problem for us," said an environment official.

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