Thermal power plants in West Bengal produces 18 times more S02 than stubble burning says CREA

Kolaghat thermal power station in the Purbo Medinipur district of West Bengal
| Photo Credit: Sushanta Patronobish

None of the thermal power plants in West Bengal have installed flue gas desulfurization (FGD), a report by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has pointed out.

According to a CREA report the thermal power plants of West Bengal emitted 313 kilotonnes of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) , based on the data from June 2022 to May 2023.

The study engages in a comparison between thermal power plant emissions in West Bengal and paddy straw burning emissions in Punjab and Haryana and highlights the scale of SO₂ pollution. “Thermal power plants in West Bengal emit 313 kilotonnes of SO₂ annually—18 times more than the 17.8 kilotonnes emitted by burning 8.9 million tonnes of paddy straw,” the study said.

While paddy straw burning causes seasonal spikes, thermal power plants represent a larger, persistent pollution source year-round, underscoring the need for stricter controls on thermal power plant emissions, the study added.

India, largest SO₂ emitter

According to CREA, India is currently the world’s largest SO₂ emitter, responsible for over 20% of global anthropogenic SO₂ emissions, primarily due to its coal-dependent energy sector. The country’s SO₂ emissions from electricity generation were measured at 6,807 kilotonnes in 2023, surpassing emissions from other major emitters like Turkey (2,206 kilotonnes) and Indonesia (2,017 kilotonnes).

A study from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi highlighted that, ‘FGD systems can reduce SO₂ concentrations by 55% within 60-80 km and sulfate aerosol concentrations by 30%, extending up to 100 km from the thermal power plants’. The CREA study says that with the installation of Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems, these emissions are expected to be reduced by 113 kilotonnes, achieving an overall reduction of 64%.

“This reduction highlights the significant potential for decreasing SO₂ emissions across the state’s thermal power plants, improving air quality and public health,” the study highlights.

Farakka STPS, highest emitter

The CREA has also estimated thermal power plant SO₂ emission and the reduction which can be achieved after implementing FGD implantation. “The highest emitter, Farakka STPS (46 kilotonnes), could achieve a 73% reduction, lowering its emissions to 12 kilotonnes. Haldia TPP (44 kilotonnes) could see an 82% reduction, cutting emissions to 8 kilotonnes, while Mejia TPS (43 kilotonnes) would reduce emissions by 54%, reducing to 20 kilotonnes,” the study said.

(CREA), an independent research organisation focused on revealing the trends, causes, and health impacts, as well as the solutions, to air pollution also pointed out that data on FGD installation progress for all power plants in India has not been updated since November 2023 on the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) website.

The study on the emission of SO₂ comes at a time when the air pollution in Kolkata has dropped to a poor category with the onset of winter.