EU has approved new rules for power plant air pollutants

The European Union approved new rules for power plant pollution under the majority of the member states, according to Power Engineering Magazine. The European Power Plant Suppliers Association (EPPSA) declared that the move is welcome by the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) Article 75 Committee members on the Best Available Techniques Reference Document for Large Combustion Plants (LCP BREF).
It is estimated that the new rules could save more than 20,000 lives every year by reducing pollution from coal-fired power plants alone, also because large combustion power plants account for a large share of air pollution.
The EU’s industrial emissions directive has been criticized for exemptions which have allowed more than half of Europe’s coal plants to exceed limits for harmful pollutants, up to now.
Several countries which are heavily reliant on coal, such as Poland, Bulgaria, Germany and the Czech Republic, were opposed to the changes.
Bulgaria recently expressed concerns to Brussels that their power plants would be forced to close down or that electricity prices would go up, but the Commission had assured Power Engineering International that this law does not require the closure of Bulgarian plants and will not increase the price of electricity.
National authorities will be able to use a derogation, or form of exemption, when costs would be disproportionate compared with the environmental benefits, while respecting environmental safeguards.
The stricter limits will regard all the 2,900 large combustion plants in the EU – like coal-fired power stations, peat, oil and gas power plants – and will have to be met by 2021.