China bans coal-fire power plants in major cities

BEIJING (AFP) Oct 09, 2003
China has banned coal-fire power plants in the capital Beijing and other major cities -- a long-awaited move expected to reduce chronic air pollution and acid rain, state press reported Thursday.

The plants have been banned in Beijing, Shanghai and 21 provincial capitals, the China Daily said.

The cities are responsible for some 60 percent of China's sulphur dioxide emissions.

In other big and medium-sized cities, thermo-electric projects approved under national energy polices must meet environmental protection standards, the report said, citing State Environmental Protection Administrationguidelines.

Sulphur dioxide is the leading cause of acid rain, which occurs over one-third of China, the report said.

According to SEPA statistics, coal-fire power stations in China emitted more than 6.6 million tons of sulfphur dioxide in 2002, some 33 percent of China's sulfphur dioxide emissions, it said.

Meanwhile desulfphurization projects are being carried out at 137 coal-fire plants across the country and are slated to be completed by 2005, it said.

According to the new guidelines, desulfphurization equipment will be required at all new coal-fire power projects that get state approval.

TERRA.WIRE