Acute coal shortage in 32 coal-fired power stations is a clear indications of massive power cuts across the country in the coming 15 days. According to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) findings, 17 thermal power stations have coal supply for less than 7 days while 15 others can be run for only 4 days. It is pertinent to mention that thermal power stations should have a coal stock for 15 to 30 days to ensure steady power generation.
A CEA official told FE Coal India (CIL)—the main coal supplier to the country’s power stations— has been failing to achieve its dispatch targets. According to data complied by CEA, CIL falls short of 3.44 million tonne in achieving its April-May dispatch target of 52.199 mt to power plants. The shortfall in supplies widened in June. This has brought as many as 32 power stations under critical coal stock position. This is expected to continue till mid July. Meanwhile, CIL officials claim that dispatch has gone up by 1.58% in April and May in comparison with same period last year. CIL has no problems in supplying coal to the power stations if rakes are available. The company has sought 20% increase in the availability of rakes but there is no increase in the supply so far, officials added. CIL needs 185 rakes a day to meet its dispatch targets but supplies are still restricted between 155 and 165 a day.
Union minister of state for coal Sriprakash Jaiswal said the ministry has decided to invest Rs 400 crore in 2010-2011 to develop connectivity infrastructure in coal fields. The ministry is exploring as to what extent waterways and roadways could supplement the railways in transporting coal to the power stations. West Bengal Power Development Corporation (WBPDCL) chairman and managing director Krishna Gupta said since the power plants under WBPDCL face critical stock situation due to non-availability of rakes, it was in talks with the Inland Waterways Corporation of India (IWAI) to transport coal to power stations by waterways.
As per CEA findings, Bandel Thermal Power Station is in a critical coal stock situation with coal available for less than four days. NTPC’s Kahalgaon, DVC’s Mejia and Bokaro, Mahagenco’s Parli, Dahanu and Kaparkheda II, Rajasthan Vidyut Uthpadan Nigam’s Kota and Chabbra, Gujarat’s Gandhinagar and Warkrobi, Tamil Nadu State Electricity Board’s Mettur and Andhra Pradesh Generation Company’s Dr N Tata Rao thermal power station all are under critical coal stock situation, the findings point out.“This means the average peak shortfall might cross 13% in July against an average peak demand of above 99,000 mw,” the CEA official said. Nationwide peak shortfall during June stands at 12.6%, he added.
It is possibly very hard to imagine how different our world was 600 to 300 Million years ago. Back in the period that coal is formed from was dominated by plant live and very little animal life. The other factors were higher oxygen content in the atmosphere along with a much moister environment. Based on these factors being in place it is not that hard to visualize lush and plentiful plant growth. So in some areas large accumulations of plant material would accumulate on the ground and create bogs were the material was covered by water or other plant material and did not completely break down. With geological changes other materials were deposited on top of these bogs and with depth and pressure turned to rock. The pressure dries the material, compressed it and eventually turned it to Coal, a flammable rock. This way coal is formed & tends to be in veins and stratified. Various conditions created various qualities of coal deposits that are presently mined for energy.
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