Shortage of coal supply affects thermal generation
Yogindra Mohan

Patiala

As per Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report, India lost nine billion units (BU) of thermal generation on account of fuel shortage. The coal supply of around 8000 MW capacity of thermal plants commissioned during 2011-12 is yet to commence.

The CEA in its latest report for June has pointed out that coal shortage at thermal plants led to generation loss of 4.37 billion units whereas gas shortage led to loss of 2.10 billion units. The balance generation loss has been attributed to transmission constraints and unforeseen outages of thermal units.

Electricity generation in the country during the month of June was 76.31 BU. The cumulative electricity generation during first quarter of financial year was 231 BU and thermal generation was 61.91 BU.

The plant load factor (PLF) of thermal stations during June’12 was 72.05 per cent. The PLF of coal based stations during June and the

first quarter of year was further reduced to 71.83 per cent and 73.81 per cent respectively

As per report, during the month only 82 per cent of the total requirement of coal was available. The thermal power stations received about 33 MT of coal against the demand of 40.0 MT. 31 Thermal Power Stations (TPS) had critical coal stock of less than seven days. Out of these 25 TPS were having coal stock of less than four days as on June 30.

During the current financial year 2012-13, the anticipated gap between the requirement and availability of domestic coal was estimated around 70 MT. Out of 70 MT, 46 MT of coal was to be met through import of coal for which all the utilities have been advised to take necessary action. In addition to this 24 MT of coal would be needed to operate power plants designed on imported coal. A Yamunanagar and Khedar thermal plant of Haryana where those plants whose generation shortfall in the first quarter was more than 100 million units. While there was nil generation at Yamunanagar thermal and Khedar the shortfall was to the tune of 451 million units. HPGCL has only imported a fraction of quantity so for this year. It is supposed to import 2 MT of coal.