Coal crisis: State thermal plants ‘well-stocked’
Umesh Dewan
Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 9
As many as 19 thermal plants across the nation have come under the “super critical category” for having coal stock for less than four days and 11 thermal plants figure in the “critical category” with coal stock availability for less than a week.

A report issued by the Operation Monitoring Division of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) on September 4 mentioned out of 89 thermal plants, monitored by the CEA, 30 are having less than a week’s coal stock.

The report states none of the thermal plants of Punjab figures in the super critical category, but all of these are having less coal stock than required as per norms.

The latest figures by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) reveal Bathinda thermal plant is having coal stock for 22 days (for three units, one is non-operational at present), against the normative requirement of 30 days. Ropar thermal plant has coal availability for 17.5 days against the normative requirement for 25 days. Similarly, Lehra Mohabbat thermal plant is having coal stock for 17.5 days, against 30 days.

PSPCL Director (Generation) GS Chhabra said there was no need to panic as sufficient coal stock was available.

Punjab may be comfortable as far as coal stock is concerned but the coal crisis in the country has certainly delayed the signing of fuel supply agreements (FSAs) between developers of the upcoming thermal plants in Punjab with subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL).

These plants include 1,980 MW Talwandi Sabo thermal plant, 1,400 MW Rajpura thermal plant and 1,320 MW Gobindpura thermal plant.