Coal shortage hits thermal generation in 7 plants

V K Gupta
01 February, 2012
Thermal generation has been hit with nil coal stock at number of plants. As per a report by the Central Electricity Authority coal stock was zero on Sunday at the 630 MW Bokaro TPS, 2340 MW Kahalgoan TPS, Chhabra TPS Durgapur TPS, Kota TPS and the Bendal TPS power stations. The coal rakes meant for Kota are being diverted to Chhabra.

POWER GENERATION in at least 7 thermal plants across the country has been affectd due to shortage of coal. The coal supply for 500 MW Kodarama thermal plant station (TPS), 500MW Durgapur TPS and 660 MW Jhajjar TPS in private sector has not commenced yet and so the plants are not running. There is inadequate coal allocation for 500MW Chhabra TPS, and coal rakes are being diverted though originally meant for other thermal plants of Rajasthan. Chhabra TPS is running at about 180 MW generating only 40 lakh units against 120 lakh units daily.

In the eastern region 500 MW Mejia unit 8, 210 MW Kahalgoan unit 3 and 210MW Tenughat unit 2 are not generating power. As per ERLDC site the generation will start as and when coal is received. The Mejia unit is not generating since November 8 last.

As per CEA report coal stock was zero on Sunday at 630 MW Bokaro TPS, 2340 MW Kahalgoan TPS, Chhabra TPS Durgapur TPS ,Kota TPS and Bendal TPS. The coal rakes meant for Kota are being diverted to Chhabra.

There are 19 thermal plants have coal stock of less than 4 days are in super critical category while another 17 have coal stock of less than a week.

In the northern region Panipat, Jhajjar and Badarpur thermal plants have low coal stocks due to less receipt of coal. Similarly, Dadri and Unchahar in Uttar Pardesh have coal stock of less than 4 days. In the southern region Rayalseema and Simdhari TPS in Andhra also have only 2 days of coal stock.