Executive Summary:
This document presents the Indian Ministry of Power's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2050, addressing air quality at NTPC thermal power plants in Peddapalli, carbon capture technology deployment, health impact studies, compensation for affected farmers, and renewable energy transition. The response includes air quality monitoring data, project status updates, study information, and policy clarifications, as of July 31, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
Air Quality Monitoring:
* NTPC operates two coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs) in Peddapalli, Telangana: Ramagundam (2,600 MW) and Telangana (1,600 MW).
* Ambient air quality data, including particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels, monitored by a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)-recognized laboratory, is provided in the annexure for the past twelve months.
Carbon Capture Technology:
* NTPC is conducting small-scale pilot R&D projects for flue gas CO2 capture and utilization at Vindhyachal (CO2 to Methanol) and Lara (CO2 to Gen4 Ethanol), both at 10 tons per day.
* Currently, there are no plans for carbon capture technology deployment at NTPC thermal power plants in Peddapalli, Telangana.
Health Impact Assessment:
* The Government of India has not conducted health impact assessment studies on communities within ten kilometers of thermal power plants in Peddapalli.
* NTPC Ramagundam conducted an Occupational Health and Epidemic Health Disorder Survey in 2017-18, which reported no negative health effects from the thermal power plant.
Compensation for Affected Farmers:
* No incidents have been reported to NTPC thermal power plants regarding compensation for declined agricultural productivity due to fly ash deposition in Peddapalli district.
* NTPC disposes of fly ash in an eco-friendly manner, adhering to MoEFCC ash Notification dated 31.12.2021 and subsequent amendments.
Renewable Energy Transition:
* NTPC has commissioned a 100 MW floating solar power plant and a 10 MW ground-mounted solar plant in Peddapalli district.
* The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has advised thermal power utilities not to retire or repurpose coal-based power stations before 2030 and to ensure thermal unit availability through Renovation and Modernization (RM) activities.
* Electricity generation is delicensed, and phasing out/retirement of units is decided by power generating companies based on techno-economic, energy demand, and environmental reasons.
Impact Analysis:
NTPC Ltd.:
* Impact: Required to adhere to air quality standards, manage fly ash disposal, and continue renewable energy initiatives. Must also consider CEA advisories on thermal power plant retirement.
* Action Required: Maintain air quality monitoring, ensure eco-friendly fly ash disposal, and assess the techno-economic viability of thermal units for continued operation beyond 2030.
Communities residing near NTPC Thermal Power Plants in Peddapalli:
* Impact: Air quality data is made available. No government health impact studies conducted, but an independent study showed no negative health effects.
* Action Required: Remain informed about air quality data.
Affected Farmers in Peddapalli District:
* Impact: No compensation reported due to fly ash deposition.
* Action Required: Report any incidents of productivity decline due to fly ash deposition to NTPC for consideration.
Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Thermal Power Utilities:
* Impact: CEA provides advisories on thermal power plant retirement and modernization.
* Action Required: Thermal Power Utilities should follow CEA advisories regarding retirement/repurposing of coal-based power stations and ensure availability of thermal units.
Key Entities Referenced
NTPC: National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, a power generation company operating thermal power plants mentioned in the document.
Peddapalli Lok Sabha Constituency: A parliamentary constituency in Telangana, India, where NTPC thermal power plants are operating and the focus of the air quality monitoring.
Telangana: A state in India where Peddapalli district is located and where NTPC thermal power plants are operating.
Ramagundam: A location within Peddapalli district, Telangana, where an NTPC thermal power plant is located.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): A statutory organisation, Government of India to monitor ambient air quality.
Vindhyachal, Madhya Pradesh: Location of a pilot project for carbon capture technology deployment by NTPC.
Lara, Chhattisgarh: Location of a pilot project for flue gas CO2 to Gen4 Ethanol project by NTPC.
Electricity Act, 2003: An act of the Parliament of India to consolidate the laws relating to generation, transmission, distribution, trading and use of electricity.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF POWER
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2050
ANSWERED ON 31.07.2025
AIR QUALITY AT NTPC THERMAL POWER PLANTS
2050. SHRI VAMSI KRISHNA GADDAM:
Will the Minister of POWER
be pleased to state:
(a) the air quality monitoring data recorded at the NTPC Thermal Power plants
operating in Peddapalli Lok Sabha Constituency during the past twelve months including
particulate matter and sulfur dioxide emission levels;
(b) the timeline for carbon capture technology deployment at NTPC facilities in the
district following the successful pilot project at Vindhyachal that captures twenty tonnes
of carbon dioxide daily;
(c) whether the Union Government has conducted health impact assessment studies
on communities residing within ten kilometers of thermal power plants in Peddapalli Lok
Sabha Constituency and if so, the outcomes thereof;
(d) the compensation fund allocation for affected farmers whose agricultural
productivity has declined due to fly ash deposition from thermal power generation
activities; and
(e) the renewable energy transition roadmap for phasing out coal-fired units older than
25 years in the constituency as per the Union Government's pollution reduction policy?
A N S W E R
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER
(SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)
(a) : NTPC Ltd is currently operating its two-coal based thermal power plant (TPPs) in
Peddapalli Lok Sabha Constituency, in the Peddapalli district of Telangana namely
Ramagundam (2,600 MW) and Telangana (1,600 MW) Thermal Power Plants located
adjacent to each other.
The ambient air quality monitoring data for emission levels including Particulate
Matters and Sulfur Dioxide recorded, and monitored through Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB) recognized laboratory, for the past twelve months at various locations
nearby TPPs are given at Annexure.
……..2.- 2 -
(b) : NTPC Ltd has taken up the following small-scale pilot/R&D projects for flue gas CO
2
capture and utilization:
(i) A 10 tons per day flue gas CO -to-Methanol project at NTPC Vindhyachal, Madhya
2
Pradesh.
(ii) A 10 tons per day flue gas CO -to-Gen-4 Ethanol project at NTPC Lara, Chhattisgarh.
2
The projects are in demonstration stage. As of now, there is no plan for carbon
capture technology deployment at NTPC thermal power plants in the Peddapalli district,
Telangana.
(c) : No such study has been conducted by Government of India to study the health
impact on communities residing within ten Kms of thermal power plants in Peddapalli Lok
Sabha constituency. However, NTPC Ramagundam thermal power plant has
independently carried out “Occupational Health and Epidemic Health Disorder Survey”
including human health risk, epidemiological study and ecological risk for addition of
2x800 MW Telangana Super Thermal Power Plants in 2017-18 and as per the study, no
negative health effects were reported in the areas surrounding the thermal power plant.
(d) : No such incidences have been reported to NTPC thermal power plants for
compensation in Peddapalli district. Further, these plants of NTPC Ltd. are disposing off
their fly ash in an eco-friendly manner as per MoEF&CC ash Notification dated 31.12.2021
and its subsequent amendments.
(e) : As part of its commitment to renewable energy, NTPC Ltd. has commissioned a 100
MW floating solar power plant and a 10 MW ground-mounted solar plant in Peddapalli
district.
The Central Electricity Authority(CEA) has issued an advisory dated 20.01.2023 and
07.07.2023 to all Thermal Power Utilities not to retire or repurpose their coal-based power
stations before 2030 and to ensure the availability of thermal units after carrying out
Renovation and Modernization(R&M) activities, if required, considering the expected
energy demand scenario in future.
Further, electricity generation is a de-licensed activity as per Section-7 of the
Electricity Act, 2003 and phasing out/retirement of units are decided by Power Generating
Utilities/Companies based on their own techno-economic, energy demand and
environmental reasons.
*********ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2050 ANSWERED IN THE LOK SABHA ON 31.07.2025
*************
Ambient Air Quality Data near NTPC Thermal Power Plants, Peddapali-District
Location-1: Balancing Reservoir Location-2: Ramagundam Pump House Location-3: Permanent Township
Months / PM-10 PM-2.5 SO NO PM-10 PM-2.5 SO NO PM-10 PM-2.5 SO NO
Sl. 2 2 2 2 2 2
Parameters (µg/m3), (µg/m3), (µg/m3) (µg/m3), (µg/m3), (µg/m3), (µg/m3), (µg/m3), (µg/m3), (µg/m3), (µg/m3), (µg/m3),
No.
Limit: 100 Limit:60 Limit:80 Limit:80 Limit: 100 Limit:60 Limit:80 Limit:80 Limit: 100 Limit:60 Limit:80 Limit:80
1 JUNE 2024 38.26 21.60 15.60 24.80 59.15 42.24 12.52 20.79 54.26 37.47 9.51 16.80
2 JULY 2024 37.62 21.93 15.68 23.12 44.35 33.28 13.03 20.69 45.63 33.64 9.51 17.95
3 AUGUST
37.46 19.19 17.55 24.26 39.22 19.14 13.45 21.81 39.24 19.86 9.81 17.91
2024
4 SEPTEMBER
38.29 18.42 18.48 25.43 40.17 19.10 13.37 20.59 38.79 20.58 9.99 18.21
2024
5 OCTOBER
39.94 20.14 20.25 25.02 41.25 20.93 13.66 21.24 40.78 21.32 10.26 19.48
2024
6 NOVEMBER
43.99 22.17 21.89 25.68 43.61 22.35 13.80 23.01 43.55 24.13 11.56 20.64
2024
7 DECEMBER
48.84 24.47 23.73 25.63 48.37 22.87 15.29 24.97 46.76 26.76 13.36 21.78
2024
8 JANUARY
52.60 26.66 24.13 25.96 51.28 25.66 17.08 26.03 50.75 28.33 16.49 22.75
2025
9 FEBRUARY
53.59 26.41 25.36 26.48 51.64 26.03 17.81 24.72 52.70 27.77 17.47 23.94
2025
10 MARCH 2025 54.68 26.30 16.05 28.05 53.00 26.50 14.16 25.57 54.66 28.17 14.68 23.15
11 APRIL 2025 56.78 27.36 10.82 18.27 55.47 26.19 11.13 16.83 56.12 28.86 11.87 20.87
12 MAY 2025 45.51 23.44 11.44 18.79 44.59 24.58 11.37 18.10 45.16 25.67 12.79 19.79
Note: The data is based on the monthly average of bi-weekly 24-hourly monitoring conducted by a CPCB-recognized laboratory.
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