Latest news with #Ennore
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Study of pollution data from Ennore thermal power plants shows violations
A study by the Save Ennore Creek campaign has found severe emission violations by thermal power plants (TPPs), based on the real-time air pollution data of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) from November 2024 to January 2025. The report 'Breathless in Ennore - 2025', conducted by Durga Moorthy, established the non-compliance with statutory emission norms using online continuous emission monitoring systems (OCEMS) as directed by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The study of data from three power plants, including North Chennai thermal power station 1 and 2 and the NTPC Tamilnadu Energy company limited (NTECL), has shown more than 50% violation in emission standards. The study took hourly average of continuous stack emission monitoring data from TPPs in Ennore and was assessed from TNPCB's Care Air Centre (CAC) for three months during winter. The CAC portal checks parameters of particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Sulfur dioxide (SO2) that ought to be monitored for each stack emission source. A total of 24 stack parameters were studied. In NCTPS-1, overall non compliance was 23% with parameters for SO2 at 23%, NOx - 23% and PM - 22%. For NCTPS-2 , with two units, it indicated 100% overall non-compliance and finally, NTECL had an overall non-compliant of 40% emission level. The NTECL, which has three units, non-compliance was recorded at 95% for SO2, 13% for NOx and 14% for PM. Responding to the data, Tangedco said in a press release that during unit outages of the NCTPS 1 and 2 the parameters would be available and the data of the PM, SO2 and NOx, would be available in the CAC portal. of TNPCBAlso during the assessment period of three months mentioned in the report, an annual overhaul was carried out for Unit 1 and Unit 3 of NTCPS-1 and Unit 1 for NCTPS-2. As per the TNPCB website all the parameters have been found to be within the permissible limit, except SO2. It is proposed to instal an FGD as per the Centre's latest guidelines, to correct this value. Tangedco said the issues raised in the report regarding stack emission non compliance and data quality from thermal power plants will be analysed too. However, it also pointed out that several measures were being taken as per norms of equipping the stacks of thermal plants with OCEMs, inbuilt alarm and regulatory mechanism to monitor and automatically alert if the emission exceeds permissible limits and constitution of monitoring team for collecting and submitting OCEMS, as per NGT orders. The Tangedco is also putting in place future improvements to control air pollution and emission through the strengthening of Internal validity checks to improve the detection and redressal of any invalid data, installation of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and upgradation of electrostatic precipitator (ESP). A seasonal pollution strategy of developing season-specific mitigation protocols and real-time interventions during high-risk meteorological conditions is being worked put by TNPCB.
New Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Ennore thermal power plants breach air pollution norms, says report
CHENNAI: A new report by the Save Ennore Creek Campaign on Wednesday has revealed that Ennore's thermal power plants violated air pollution norms or failed to provide valid data nearly 49% of the time during the winter season (November 2024 to January 2025), exacerbating health risks for local communities and raising questions about the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board's (TNPCB) regulatory response. The analysis, titled 'Breathless in Ennore', studied publicly available real-time stack emission data of three major thermal plants—North Chennai Thermal Power Station Stage I (NCTPS I), Stage II (NCTPS II), and NTECL Vallur, sourced from TNPCB's CARE Air Centre (CAC). The findings show NCTPS II had zero compliance, with invalid or missing data 96% of the time, and emissions in the remaining 4% of time exceeding all norms. NTECL Vallur violated sulphur dioxide (SO₂) limits for 80% of the winter, while NCTPS I was non-compliant for 23% of the period. Durga Moorthy, author of the report, said, 'When (on average) 49% of the time, there's either no reliable data or emissions exceed the legal limit, it means regulators are blindfolded and communities are exposed.' Chennai's winter weather worsens ground-level pollution due to temperature inversions, where cooler air traps pollutants close to the surface. According to the report, winter PM2.5 levels in Chennai are 3–40% higher than annual averages. With unregulated pollution in Ennore, the local impact is likely far worse.
