The Panki Panic

Until now our blogs dealt with macroscale Environmental issues; we talked about Bitcoin, Water distribution, Population, and so on … But hey! one need not need travel to Detroit or Hebei to write a thesis on AQI. As they say, “look at your backyard before criticizing others” or in a poetic sense “There is nothing quite so delightfully mysterious as a secret in your own backyard”, so we chose to delve upon the issues effecting Kanpur. In this blog we will be analyzing the environmental impact of the Panki Thermal Power Station which is only a few kms from IITK.

Panki Thermal Power Station, located at Panki in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, was commissioned in 1967 by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.

The plant has gone through three stages.

1. The 1st stage had two units of 32 Mega Watts each, and it began operation in 1967 both the units ceased operations in 1998.
2. The 2nd stage had two units of 110 Mega Watts each and started the process in 1977 with the machinery from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. The second stage ceased operations in 2018.
3. The Third Stage is under construction. It will have one unit of 660 Mega Watts. Its foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 and is expected to be completed by the end of Jan 2022 and start operating by the end of 2022. The expansion of the Panki Power plant will help in bridging electricity demand-supply gap in UP and has the potential to enhance the socioeconomic condition of the nearby regions (by producing various job opportunities) directly / indirectly

In 2010 UPPCB recommended the closure of Panki Thermal Power Plant for defying the air and water pollution norms. The action was initiated after local complaints that they were getting respiratory problems and that the ash from the station was flying in their houses.

According to UPPCB officials, the adverse impact on vegetation and respiratory problems in humans increased in colonies near Panki industrial area due to an unabated increase in SPM (suspended particulate matter) and ash in the surrounding area. After the warning from the UPPCB authorities, the thermal power station has submitted a 14.16 cr project, and locals got relief. Hence, UPPCB decided to cancel its closure order, but finally, in 2018, they closed it. The decision to relocate the plan was consider for a while but the PCRI proposed to establish the 660MW powerplant at the same site due to the following reasons:

1. The existing plant site has sufficient land required for expansion.
2. Existing Infrastructural facilities, utilities, and manpower available in the existing plant will be extended to proposed expansion.
3. Approachability via rail and road is excellent.
4. Availability of water resources is in proximity.
5. Well established supply chain- route of transportation for coal and water is in line with existing plant.

Traditionally uncontrolled emission from poorly managed thermal power plants in northern and eastern India has been the primary source for the haze that envelops the Indo-Gangetic plains during winter. The winter haze seriously compromises the health of millions of the region and drastically reduces crop yield, and has various other non-perceived effects. India has about 285 coal-based power plants with a capacity greater than 100 MW, of which a large number are located in the Ganga basin. These plants use thousands of tons of low-grade coal (with 30-45 percent ash content) daily, which is the primary source of emission of carbon dioxide and other pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons, lead to the formation of ozone close to the earth’s surface.

In 2006 in a study by IITK, researchers Anup Prasad and Ramesh Singh with Menas Kafatos of the George Mason University in the US measured the concentration of aerosols (fine particles like black carbon and sulfates) over the region using satellite data. They found that the aerosol concentration over the thermal plants was much higher than their immediate surroundings. They found that in the case of the 240 MW Panki plant in Uttar Pradesh, the aerosol concentration was 15 percent higher than in its surroundings, including the highly polluted Kanpur city.

With meteorological data indicating that the duration and thickness of the winter haze is increasing over the last 50 years in this region, the decision for expansion of the Panki Thermal Power Plant can negatively impact the local environment, including the IIT Kanpur campus area, if proper waste management methods are not applied. The EAC in 2016 had also said that the local population is opposed to the idea of a new power plant, as the 220MW unit was releasing a significant amount of ash, causing environmental damage and health problems. The new 660MW plant, with triple the capacity of the old one and would certainly add to the displeasure of the locals.

Though in “paper” thermal power plants are equipped with electrostatic precipitator filters to reduce emissions, we are not sure if they are checked or replaced regularly. Using alternate technology like geo-polymer-based technology for utilization of fly ash such as road-making, etc. and better governmental policy such as heavily subsidizing Electrostatic filters and other such devices could greatly reduce the emission levels.

The silver inning is that, based on a deep techno-economic analysis, the new 660MW installation in Panki, will have supercritical 660MW production capability with State of Art Equipment and machinery (designed to have maximum efficiency and least possible impact on nature). The technology chosen is the most advanced & most eco-friendly.

Some of the benefits of advanced supercritical power plants include:

1. Reduced fuel costs due to improved plant efficienc
2. Significant improvement of the environment by a reduction in CO2 emissions.
3. Plant costs comparable with sub-critical technology and less than other clean coal technologies.
4. Much reduced NOx, SOx, and particulate emissions; Can be fully integrated with appropriate CO2 capture technology.

Also, all Standard Procedures of Operation (SOPs), EHS standards/guidelines (prescribed by UPSPCB/CPCB/MoEFCC) and all recommendations including CREP by CPCB/UPSPCB/MoEFCC are being/shall be implemented/followed during the operation of the existing and expanded plant.

It has been mentioned by UPRVUNL that they are committed to using the best technology available for controlling, treating, and disposing of all types of waste to be generated during the operation of the proposed expansion.

1. Wastewater to be generated will be treated and used within the plant premises.
2. Ash to be generated will be disposed of as per best standard practices in the power industry. To provide dry fly ash to users such as manufacturers of cement, concrete, and its allied products like Cellular Concrete, etc., the plant shall provide systems and facilities for 100% extraction of dry fly ash.
3. Air emission will be controlled by providing ESPs, bag filters, and a stack of height 275 m: and Continuous efforts for improvement of the socio-economic status of the surrounding area. Installation of high efficiency ESPs for collection of fly ash from the boilers are designed for 30 mg/Nm3 Particulate Matter emission. Emission norms prescribed for Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides as per the new Gazette Notification, December 2015 will be Followed.
4. ETP and AWRS for the existing units are in operation for zero discharge. Provisions have been made for LDPE lining in the existing Ash Pond. The proposed project will meet the specific water consumption up to a maximum of 2.5 m3/MWhr and achieve zero wastewater discharge. The effluent generated during the operational phase from the proposed project will be treated to meet the permissible norms.
5. An area of around 33% of the total area has been earmarked for the green belt development. The green belt development shall be carried out through Forest Department.
6. Health camps at regular intervals shall be organized in the area. Necessary provisions of medicine distribution and other health care shall be ensured as per policy. Skill development programs and other schemes as per approved CSR policy shall be undertaken for the empowerment of people for getting employment. Medical facilities for the residents of the nearby area would be provided as per UPRVUNL CSR Policy.

The mitigation measures for the maintenance of sanitary facilities, traffic management, appropriate timing and routing of materials, delivery, etc will ensure that the impact of construction is limited.

The case of the Panki Power plant represents a perfect example of Pollution vs Politics and can also be a topic of a classic Utilitarian debate - “Should one prefer the greatest good of greatest number over the good of minority?”.

In politics especially in a democratic country often Popular sentiments guide the policy-making mechanism. Hard facts are often pushed under the carpet to cater to the public ego. As a science-backed group, overtly concerned with the Environment, we believe that policies as well as politics should back nature first as any damage done to the Environment is irreparable and certainly adds to the distress of the people at large.

- Team Prakriti, IIT Kanpur