NTPC asked to close plant due to poor fly ash disposal

The Orissa government has asked state-run NTPC to completely shut down the 2,000 Mw stage-II of Talcher Super Thermal Power Station, amid concerns over fly ash disposal.

NTPC has already closed down two units of 500 Mw each at Talcher stage-II, following a closure notice from the Orissa State Pollution Control Board on June 28.

“We expect NTPC to shut down the remaining two units by tomorrow. Already, two units has been closed down,” Orissa State Pollution Control Board’s Member Secretary Siddhanta Das said. The plant’s stage-II, having four units of 500 MW each, supplies electricity to the southern states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Power Ministry sources said.

Sources noted that supply disruption from Talcher plant would result in severe power problems in southern states, most of which are already facing electricity shortages.

NTPC submitted an action plan to better manage fly ash emanating from the power plant to the pollution control board on Monday, they said. According to Das, the action plan was not up to the pollution control board’s satisfaction.