Coal supplies reaches thermal plants

Yogindra Mohan
Patiala

A total of 26 thermal plants of the country are grappling with coal shortage with less than four days coal stock while in Punjab coal from PANEM mines has reached its thermal plants.

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report of December 16 maintains that over a third of the 90 thermal power stations that are being monitored with total capacity of around 57,000 MW are running at critical stock levels with coal stock of less than seven days. A total of 26 plants worth nearly 36,000 MW capacities with less than four days stock are running practically from hand to mouth.

In Punjab, dwindling coal stocks at three thermal plants which were a cause of worry for the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is relieved after coal from PANEM mines has reached its thermal plants. Eight coal rakes were received earlier this week at the Ropar Thermal Plant and six were received a day before that. The coal stock at plant is now sufficient for 8.4 days. At Lehra Mohabbat coal stock is for 12 days while at Bathinda is 14 days stock. Coal transportation by rail may suffer slightly due to coming foggy days.

The coal shortage at many super thermal plants is also very critical.

This includes 1,320 MW Jhajjar Thermal Plant in Haryana where unit no 2 is under forced outage due to coal shortage since November 14.

The other major super thermal plants with less than 4 days coal

stock are Vindhyachal (3,760 MW ),Talcher S (3,000 MW),Sipat (2,980 MW),

Korba (2,600 MW), Ramagundem (2,600 MW), Farakka (2,100 MW),Singrauli (2,000 MW) and Simhadri (2,000 MW).

According to CEA, inadequate coal supply from Coal India has been cited as one of the major reasons for the coal crunch facing the thermal sector. This irregular and short supply of coal has thus, forced several power stations to operate below their installed capacities.
Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Plant in BathindaDP fiile Photo