Coal shortage hits generation at five thermal plants
V K Gupta
07 June, 2012

As per reports, both units of 1320 MW at Jhajjar in Haryana are not producing any power due to coal problems. Unit 2 is down from May 11 while unit 1 is down from May 24

THE POWER generation at six thermal plants including jhajjar in Haryana has been hit due to non-availability of coal.

The latest Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report, released on May 4, shows that there is zero coal stock at six thermal plants of country with total capacity of over 8400 MW. These include Jhajjar, Anapara ‘C”, Farakha, Durgapur Steel, Kahalgoan and Koredama thermal plants having zero coal stock. The 19 thermal plants have coal stock of less than 4 days and have come under super critical category. Another 14 have coal stock of less than seven days.

In the northern region, as per NRLDC daily report, both units of 1320 MW at Jhajjar in Haryana are not producing any power due to coal problems. Unit 2 is down from May 11 while unit 1 is down from May 24. Similarly 300 MW unit 4 at Rosa and 600 MW unit 1 at Lanco in Uttar Pardesh are facing coal shortage problem. 1200 MW Anapara C is running at only one-third load.

The power shortage in the northern region is more than 500 lac units. The peak load and off peak load shortages are around 1700 MW. In the eastern region, 200 MW Farakha unit 3, 500 MW Mejia unit 8 and 710MW Kahalgoan unit 4 and 7 are not working due to coal shortage.

Meanwhile Power Ministry proposal for supplying coal to thermal power plants commissioned till end of March 2012 and during 2012-13 through the Memorandum of Understanding route has now been agreed by Coal Ministry. Power companies which have already signed power purchase agreements with distribution companies are eligible for this.

Recently commissioned units, including 660 MW Jhajjar thermal plant, 500 MW Bellary TPS unit-2, the 490 MW Dadri extension unit-6, 500 MW Dr. N. Tata Rao TPP unit- 4 and the 300 MW Pathadi TPS unit-1 may be the main beneficiaries.