With reference to coal-based thermal power plants in India, consider the following statements:

1. None of them uses seawater.
2. None of them is set up in water-stressed district.
3. None of them is privately owned.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Some coal-fired thermal power plants in India use seawater for cooling. For example, situated in Gujarat’s Kutch district, the Mundra Thermal Power Station ranks as India’s second-largest, boasting a capacity of 4,620MW. Primarily fueled by imported Indonesian coal, the plant draws seawater from the Gulf of Kutch.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The World Resource Institute’s (WRI) report finds that 40 per cent of the country’s thermal power plants are located in areas facing high water stress, a problem since these plants use water for cooling.
• The report says, “scarce water is already hampering electricity generation in these regions—14 of India’s 20 largest thermal utilities experienced at least one shutdown due to water shortages between 2013 and 2016, costing the companies $1.4 billion’’. Almost 90 per cent of India’s thermal power generation depends on freshwater for cooling.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• There are many privately owned coal-based thermal power plants. For example, Mundra coal power plant is owned by Adani Power Limited mentioned above.

Answer: (d) None; Difficulty Level: Easy