Power crisis staring at Telangana

Hyderabad: The Telangana State is likely to face energy crisis as thermal units are likely to be hit by a severe coal crisis from the next week. Top officials of Telangana GENCO said the available coal reserves would meet the requirement of the thermal projects for one week only.

There are reports that India may face energy crisis as the coal reserves are suffice only for the next four days.

The Union Energy Ministry indicated the other day that they may have to lift coal produced from Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) to other States to meet their coal demand for thermal power generation in the next three or four days, officials said, adding that if the coal from SCCL is diverted, Telangana thermal power units would face a severe coal crunch from the next week.

Officials said the thermal units with an installed capacity of more than 3000 MW in the State require nearly 50,000 tonnes of coal every day.

"Currently, the State depends on the coal generated by the SCCL and at a captive mine located in Tadicherla in Bhupalpally district," officials said, adding that nearly 60 per cent of the State energy needs are met by these thermal units only.

If the coal crisis intensifies, the State would have to depend on the national power exchange and buy power from other States.

State energy officials are closely monitoring the coal supply and demand and its availability across the country to ensure adequate supply of fossil fuel in the emergency times in case the coal supply from the SCCL is stopped.

They said the State would also make a request to the Union Energy Ministry to make available local coal to the State thermal units.