Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Q6. “Ageing thermal power plants may remain valuable electricity assets while becoming growing ecological liabilities.” Elucidate. (10 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: DTE
Why the question
The tension between the continuing energy-security value of ageing thermal power plants and their increasing environmental costs.
Key Demand of the question
Establish why ageing thermal plants remain useful electricity assets despite their declining efficiency. Thereafter, elucidate how their continued operation creates growing ecological liabilities.
Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Briefly introduce India’s dependence on dispatchable thermal power and the emerging dilemma between grid reliability and environmental sustainability.
Body
- Value as electricity assets: Cover their dispatchable generation, grid-balancing role, established infrastructure, relatively low capital burden and contribution to regional power adequacy.
- Growing ecological liabilities: Highlight their lower thermal efficiency, higher emissions, excessive freshwater dependence, difficulties in retrofitting pollution controls and accumulated fly-ash burden.
Conclusion
Conclude by advocating plant-specific evaluation based on reliability needs, environmental performance and compliance costs to determine renovation, limited operation or phased retirement.
