Punjab Newsline
Coal shortage at thermal plants caused loss of 9880 lakh units -CEA
VINOD KUMAR GUPTA
Friday, 24 July 2009
NEW DELHI: Coal supply shortage in various thermal plants of the country has resulted in generation loss of 9880 lakh units during April and May 2009 as per Central Electricity Authority.

According to sources there was generation loss of 9880 lakh units in first two months of current fiscal due to coal shortage at various thermal plants of the country. In the month of April nine thermal plants across the country reported loss of 5181 lakh units These included 6 thermal plants of Maharashtra and three super thermals run by NTPC.

Maharashtra Power Generation Company with all its six thermal plants reported loss of generation in the first two months of current financial year.. These thermal plants are at Nasik, Parli, Bhusawal, Chandanpur, Koradi and Khaperkheda.

NTPC, is next in the line, with its Kahalgaon, Korba and Sipat thermal power stations facing generation losses of 890 lakh units in April 2009, while its Talcher, Korba and Sipat projects faced a generation loss of 1449 lakh units in May 2009. Bihar State Electricity Board’s Barauni project suffered a generation loss of 11.52 MU in May 2009.

Even in July the power generation at the 3000 MW plant NTPC at Kaniha, the second largest power plant in the country, has been badly hit during the last fortnight due to coal crisis. The power generation of the 2500 MW plant of NTPC Kaniha stood at 1700 MW for the past 15 days. The fall in power generation is attributed to the inadequate coal supply.

As per Central Electricity Authority daily report there are 13 thermal power stations, which has coal stock of less than 4 days. In addition to these there are 17 thermal powerhouses, which has less than 7 days coal stock. Ropar thermal plant and Panipat thermal plants have less than seven days coal stock.