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China will tighten emission standards
for thermal power plants, a main source of pollution, aiming to curb
worsening environmental degradation.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection
said in a report on its website that emissions allowances for sulfur
dioxide, nitrogen oxide and soot for thermal power plants would be
reduced, while mercury discharges from coal burning and emissions from
gas-fired boilers would also be restricted for the first time.
Beijing will also toughen emissions
levels in environmentally-sensitive regions.
The new standards, which will take
effect from January 1, 2012, may involve about 260 billion yuan ($40.74
billion) in new investments for power companies by 2015 to meet several
key requirements.
China had 707 gigawatts of thermal power
generating capacity at the end of 2010, accounting for 73 percent of
overall power generating capacity. A majority of the plants use coal as
fuel and half of China's coal output is used for power generation.
($1 = 6.382 yuan)
Source:
Reuters |
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