Government push to clean energy

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Monday announced coal washery reject-based thermal power plant policy to promote clean energy. As per the new coal mining, coal washery and washery reject-based power plant policy, power plant developers will supply 33 per cent free power from the thermal power plant based on washery rejected coal to a nominated agency authorised by the State Government. The power plant developer will pay an annual contribution of six paise per unit of energy from the power plant sold outside the State towards Energy Management Fund. Establishment of coal washing or beneficiation plants will be restricted to the coal mining lease area or within  vicinity of mining areas so that ash generated could be used for filling mining voids. Since coal washing does not require good quality water, the developer has to use mine drainage water in the process. However, rainwater harvesting is made mandatory for coal washing plants, a senior officer of the Energy Department said.  The power plant developers will be encouraged to explore and adopt dry washing technology to minimise use of water. The promoters will also be encouraged to set up value addition plants for manufacturing cement and bricks from fly ash. Promoter of the washery reject-based power plant will adequately compensate for fly ash disposal as may be decided by the Forest and Environment Department and the Orissa State Pollution Control Board.  The Water Resources Department will decide the tariff for water to be supplied to coal washeries. The coal companies will contribute towards a fund as may be decided by the Steel and Mines Department for environment protection, resettlement and rehabilitation of people displaced from coal-bearing areas and upgradation of social and physical infrastructure of the State. The policy framework and guidelines on the washery reject-based power plant was discussed by the State-level single window clearance authority meeting recently. The authority had made certain recommendations which were accepted by the high-level clearance authority.