EU lawmakers planning to cap pollution from medium-sized power plants must avoid “double regulation”, say MEPs.
In a draft report, MEPs on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy welcomed the “important” rule for plugging a “gap” in rules for combustion plants with thermal input between 1 and 50 MW.
Air pollution is estimated to lead to more than 400,000 premature deaths per year and health costs of up to €940 billion, according to the Commission.
But they warned: “[The] risks of double regulation should be avoided. In particular, there is a need to clarify the relation between the current proposal and the Industrial Emissions Directive already in force.”
With a majority (75%) of medium combustion plants (MCPs) run by smaller players in the energy market, they advised “special attention has to be given not to impose an excessive administrative burden” or cost.