The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified amendments to the Environment (Protection) Rules and eased sulphur dioxide (SO₂) compliance requirements for coal and lignite based thermal power plants (TPPs).
The notification introduces differentiated compliance timelines and exemptions. Category C plants are now exempt from SO₂ emission standards and subject to compliance with stack height norms by December 31, 2029. Category A plants (located within a 10-km radius of the National Capital Region or cities with a population of at least one million) have to mandatorily install FGDs with the deadline to comply with SO₂ norms set at December 31, 2027. Category B plants (within 10-km radius of Critically Polluted Areas (CPAs) or Non-Attainment Cities) will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by an expert appraisal committee, with a default deadline of December 31, 2028 for units that do not opt for review. The notification also mentions that plants scheduled to retire before December 31, 2030 are not required to comply with the SO₂ norms, provided an undertaking is submitted. Non-compliant and non-retiring plants will be liable to pay graded environmental compensation of up to Rs 0.40 per unit of electricity generated, depending on the duration of delay.