Deadline Extended: Power Plants Given More Time for SO2 Norms Compliance

The central government has granted a further extension for coal-based thermal power plants to comply with sulphur dioxide emission norms. The new regulation exempts plants located outside critically polluted areas or cities with populations over one million.

As per a notification dated July 11, the environment ministry announced that Category A plants, found within a 10-kilometer radius of the National Capital Region or cities with a population exceeding one million, now have until December 2027 to comply. Category B plants, those within a 10-kilometer radius of critically polluted areas, will undergo case-by-case assessment instead of sticking to the previous 2025 deadline.

Category C plants, not under Category A or B, are exempted from the norms provided they meet specific stack height criteria. The plants were initially required to adhere to these norms by December 2026. The extension was due to limited technology availability, feasibility issues, and the pandemic's impact on the supply chain and costs.

(With inputs from agencies.)