Costlier power: Equipment cost may be passed on

The government is considering regulatory changes to let power companies pass on costs of installing emission-cutting equipment to consumers, a government official said, a politically sensitive proposal amid rising pollution in big cities. Record levels of smog in the capital and other major centres have piled pressure on the government and power providers to tackle a growing public heath crisis. In response, debt-laden private companies, including Reliance Power, Adani Power and GMR, as well as state-run NTPC, have been seeking billions in federal funding to retrofit coal-fired plants to cut emissions.