Coal power plants are under attack globally because they emit air pollutants such as particular matter, Sulphur, Oxides and Nitrous Oxides which if not properly handled may have adverse environmental impacts.
Amu Power Company is a modern company. It is the company that after the plant is built, it will cater for all the environmental issues. In fact, in accordance with the Environment Management and Coordination Act, Amu Power Company is conducting an environmental as well as Social Impact Assessment. This is actually the first critical step of the project and in line with the African Development Bank’s Integrated Safeguards System.
An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is a study that examines the environmental as well as the social impacts of a project in advance. This is an effective planning and decision making tool that allows the potential environmental and social impacts resulting from a project’s design, construction as well as operations to be identified and managed sustainably. It also provides the opportunity for the developer to be forewarned of potential environmental as well as social issues, and allows for resolution and mitigation of the issues reported in the ESIA report. The report is already complete and it is under review internally.
It should be understood that Amu Power plant will be designed, constructed as well as operated to comply with stringent environmental standards and will meet all the required international air quality limits such as the World Bank Group’s 2008 Environment, Health and Safety Guidelines on thermal power plants.
In order to achieve the stringent environmental standards, the power plant will utilize clean coal emission control technologies such as low nitrous oxide burners, wet Fuel Gas Desulfurization (FGD) for removal of Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and the use of Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) for the removal of particulates.
Above all, the proposed power plant will use supercritical steam technology and this will reduce emissions as well as the environmental pollution.