As per Central Electricity Authority’s latest report, 52 thermal plants in the country have less than seven days coal stock
Yogindra Mohan

Patiala

In Punjab the coal stock position is comfortable as Lehra Mohabbat and Ropar thermal plants have coal stock of 15 days. This is in sharp to contrast to other thermal plants across the country where the average coal stock in thermal plants of country is just sufficient for five days and nine plants have nil coal stock.

As per Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) latest report, 52 thermal plants in the country have less than seven days coal stock and out of these 35 plants are facing acute fuel shortage with less than four days coal stock available with them. There are nine plants which have reported zero coal stock. The Central Electricity Authority monitors 89 thermal plants of the country with total capacity of 97,420 MW.

The main reason for the poor coal stock is less supply by Coal India and its subsidiaries. The other reason is less import of coal by thermal plants which were asked to do so by Ministry of Power. There are three plants in West Bengal, two in Jharkhand and one each in Maharashtra, Uttar
Coal position comfortable at thermal plants

Pardesh, Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh which have nil coal stock. These are Farakha (2100 MW), Durgapur (1000 MW), DLL (630 MW), Koderama (500 MW), Bokaro B (600MW), Khaperkheda (1340 MW), Vindhyachal (3760 MW) Sipat (2980 MW) and Anapara C (1200 MW).

In Haryana, the coal shortage has hit all the running thermal plants in state except Yamunanagar thermal which since long has been forced shut down. As per latest Central Electricity Authority report, coal stock in China Light and power plant at Jhajjar was just sufficient for two days. One 660 MW unit at Jhajjar is shut down for last three weeks due to coal shortage. The coal stock at Panipat and Khedar is just sufficient for three and six days respectively.