Thermal power plants across the country continue to grapple with inadequate coal stock.Out of 82 thermal power plants, 25 power plants are reeling under critical condition with coal stock of less than seven days. Moreover, 13 out of these 25 power stations are battling super-critical condition, with a coal stock of less than four days.This is as per the report on the coal stock position (as on August 31) at the power plants prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).In most of the cases, the power plants have been bogged down by supply constraints of coal due to inadequate rakes of the Railways.
Others have reported less receipt of coal while there are a few power plants who are reeling under an acute coal shortfall as they have been unable to scale up their coal imports in sync with their rising power generation.
When contacted by Business Standard, a top official of Coal India Limited (CIL) said, "CIL is presently meeting 90 per cent of the normative requirement of the coal-based power plants in the country. It is also important for the power plants to scale up their imports in sync with the rising generation."
"We are also not getting adequate rakes from the Railways to transport coal. As against our daily average requirement of around 200 rakes per day, we are getting 160-170 rakes pr day. Transportation of food grains being the top priority for the Railways, they are also not in a position to divert adequate rakes for other purposes", he added.
West Bengal has the most of thermal plants (8) with critical coal stock. These include the power stations at Mejia, Bandel, Kolaghat, Sagardihi, Budge Budge, New Cossipore, Farakka, Titagarh.
Out of these eight power stations in West Bengal, four plants- Mejia, Bandel, Sagardihi and Farakka are facing super-critical coal stock. All these power stations barring Farakka, which is a pithead power plant, receive coal through the rail route.
In Orissa, the 3000 MW NTPC Kaniha, the second largest power plant in the country, is facing critical coal stock and has stock of the dry fuel with stock of barely four days.Its present coal stock is around 165,000 tonnes with its average daily requirement being around 50,000 tonnes.
Being a pithead power station, it is required to maintain a normative coal stock for 15 days.The situation is possibly the worse in Tamil Nadu where all the four thermal power stations- Ennore, Mettur, North Chennai and Tuticorin are facing critical coal stock of which Ennore and North Chennai are reeling under super-critical coal stock.
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