Fly ash output in our plant is less than many other plants in the country: UPCL

Fly ash output in our plant is less than many other plants in the country: UPCL

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, March 3:  The COO, Mr. Ravindra said that the UPCL is the first power plant in India to use 100 per cent imported coal (from Indonesia, South Africa and Australia) which produces less than 6 to 7 per cent of ash. “Indian coal (being used by many power plants) produces 35 to 45 per cent of ash,” he said.

When contacted, UPCL Chief Operating Officer Ravindra said the UPCL, established at a project cost of Rs 5,300 crore, uses about 5,300 tonnes of imported coal per day (for unit 1 which can generate 600 MW power) that produces about 300 tonnes of fly ash per day.

“Out of the total fly ash produced, 15 to 20 per cent is collected at the bottom of the boiler (called bottom ash) while the remaining 80 to 85 per cent is sucked by the Electro Static Precipitator (ESP), and is passed onto the four storage bins (silo units) each with 500 tonne capacity,” he said.

From the silos, the fly ash is transported in closed containers (trucks) to cement factories in Chikballapur and Wadi. Out of the 300 tonnes of fly ash that is produced on an average everyday, about 100 to 150 tonnes is sent to cement factories while the remaining is taken  in closed containers to a100-acre fly ash pond located about 2 km away from the plant.

“The UPCL has entered into an agreement with ACC for ash utilisation by ACC, on long term basis, who also in turn planning to set up a cement mixing plant in Padabettu area in 8 to 10 months. At present, part quantity of ash is being lifted by ACC in closed bulkers to their existing cement plant at faraway places including Chikballapur and Wadi,” he said.

Meanwhile, the 15 to 20 per cent bottom ash produced is again ground into make fine particles and is dumped in the fly ash pond. “The product is very good for construction industry or road asphalting,” he said.Plans are also on the anvil to export the fly ash to Dubai as four persons have already approached the company, UPCL Vice President (Corporate Affairs) K Ksihore Alva said and added that a bagging plant may come up in the vicinity in near future.

He said the plant has 275 mtr chimney and emissions are well within stipulated norm (20mg/cum) in place of 50mg/cum allowed.

6 monitoring units

The plant has Flue Gas De-sulpurisation (FGD) unit which facilitate to maintain So2 emission well below the stipulated norm of 80 mg/cum. Interestingly, the firm has ambient air monitoring units set up in 6 different locations in a radius of 25 kms that include at Peradka (on the foothills of Western Ghats near Karkala), Hejamady (Udupi), Inna (Surathkal), Adamaru (Udupi) and Yellur (near the plant). The unit checks for sulphor dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon oxide and particulate matter of 10 micron and 2.5 micron.

“The same is being monitored by nationally accredited labs and other institutions, and reports are submitted regularly to the concerned authorities,” Alva said.

Water contamination

To a query, Alva agreed that a break in the six-km long water pipeline (from Arabian sea to the plant) following which there might have been salty water in wells.
Citing sabotage and undulated terrain as the reason for pipe breakage, Alva  said the firm has set up two more pipelines with steel coating and henceforth there will not be any leakage.

Stating that whatever problems are there, are all initial hiccups, Alva said the plant and its surroundings will have a different look in a few months when all things fall in place.
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