Coal shortage forces NTPC to shut down four units at Kaniha - Currently producing 700Mw against normal daily generation of 3000MW

Power generation from 3000Mw NTPC-Kaniha plant, the second largest power plant in India, has drastically come down with four out of six 500 Mw units of the thermal station being shut down due to lack of coal.

The power plant is currently producing about 700Mw against a normal daily generation of 3000MW. NTPC-Kaniha provides power to 17 states.The company authorities have been forced to shut down four units as coal supply to the plant has come to a grinding halt from Thursday last due to rail blockade agitation by local people near Talcher coalfields. Not a single tonne of coal has reached the plant from Friday due to the stir.

“We are running only two units with partial load of 700 Mw with the available coal at our stock yard,” said a top NTPC official warning that even this minimal operation of the plant cannot be possible beyond Sunday (today) if coal supply through Merry-go-round system of linked Lingaraj mine is not resumed by this evening. The steep slash in generation has had an adverse impact on national grid, he stated.

The power plant has been running with hand to mouth coal supplies for the last three years. As a result the authorities have not been able to build up coal stock to meet such eventuality. Besides drawing coal from Mahanadi Coalfield Limited (MCL), the plant has been using imported coal to meet the shortfall. But the rail blockade, cutting off coal supply from all sources, has jeopardized the functioning of the plant.

According to the official, four units of the NTPC-Kaniha plant are dedicated for the southern states. These states are now drawing only 350 Mw from running Unit 4 instead of normal drawal of 2000 Mw. Similarly, another 350 Mw is evacuated to eastern grid from Unit 2 against the normal supply of 1000 Mw.

Alleging chronic negligence of Railways to Talcher station, hundreds of locals led by local MP Tathagat Satpathy and MLA Braja Kishore Pradhan resorted to rail roko stir near the Talcher station from last Thursday blocking coal supply from Talcher coalfield. Talcher coalfield of MCL provides coal not only to different industries within Orissa but also to power stations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and other states.

All the power stations in these states, dependant on Talcher, are now in super critical state, according to a colliery officer.

The striking locals demand that all the Intercity and Express trains plying on Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar line should come to Talcher station instead of by-passing the station and running through Talcher Road, a few Kms away. “We have been demanding this for a long time, but Railways is not listening to us”, said MLA Pradhan announcing to continue the agitation indefinitely.