Chhattisgarh halts operation of 2 power plants, amid coal shortage

Operations in two 210 Mega Watt power plants has been put on halt in Korba district of Chhattisgarh, due to an acute shortage of coal in power stations. The power plant of Korba supplies electricity to various parts of the country.

Korba:Operations in two 210 Mega Watt power plants has been put on halt in Korba district of Chhattisgarh, due to an acute shortage of coal in power stations. The power plant of Korba supplies electricity to various parts of the country.

Coal production in SECL coal mines has been adversely affected due to excessive rains, as per reports. Consequently, the power plants are not getting the required quantity of coal.

Generally, power plants keep a stock of coal for at least 15 days, the Korba Power plant has alarmed that the stock is only left for 2 to 3 days. A 210 MW power generation unit of Korba East Power Plant had to be closed due to a shortage of coal. If concrete arrangements are not made for its supply to power plants by increasing the production of coal in time, then the situation of power crisis may arise.

According to reports, SECL's coal mines have a set target of producing 176 million tonnes of coal in the current financial year. But in the last quarter itself, only 76% of the production target has been met. In the last quarter, SECL was to produce 12.03 million tonnes of coal, but against this target, only 9.18 million tonnes of coal can be produced. Due to low production, now the power plants are not getting the supply of coal in the prescribed quantity.

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According to an official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, poor quality coal is being supplied by SECL to power plants in the rainy season. As a result, the power generation from the power plant is being affected. HTPP is only left with 55 thousand tonnes of coal stock, which will last only for 3 days. Digital Signal Power Manufacturing unit has only left with a stock of 4 days. The situation is an obvious alarm for power scarcity in the near future.

Presently, the Korba district has various coal-based power plants. The power generation capacity of a thermal power plant in the district is more than 6000 MW. But currently, the average production is just 3650 MW, due to a shortage of coal.

Vinay Dayal, Director Technical, Coal India Limited, who recently visited the district, expressed concern over the reduction in coal production. He said, "The prices of coal have also increased in the international market. Import has also stopped. The production of coal has decreased, whereas the demand is gradually increasing."

Ironically, India’s Index of Eight Core Industries saw a 20.6 percent increase in coal production in the month of August, according to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

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