Power stations face acute coal shortage

Amaravati: The power generation in the state has reached a critical stage as APGenco power stations are almost running out of coal. As the coal stocks are not sufficient even for a day, power generation could be affected at any time in the state.

The APTransco is purchasing power at open exchange due to serious situation prevailing in power generation in the state and has even started unauthorised power cuts in rural areas. The present condition is causing concern in the middle of summer.

The total daily requirement of coal for power stations-NTTPS, RTTPS and SDSTPS-is 68,000 metric tonnes (MT), but the total reserves are now below the requirement.  This situation is worrying the APGenco.

The daily requirement of NTTPS is 32,000 s but the reserves at the plant is only 9,000 MTs. The coal demand for RTTP is 16,500 MT per day but the reserve is also almost in the same quantity. Similarly, the SDSTPS has stock of 39,000 MT as against the daily requirement of 9,000 MT.

A senior official of APGenco said on condition of anonymity that the above situation has been prevailing for 10 days. “We are managing the power stations based on daily arrivals. Sometimes, we have not received coal for two days. The condition of power generation is very precarious,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said there could be chances of stopping power generation if there is no instant improvement in supply of coal. “Now we are generating power based on coal stock available at power stations. We cannot say at what time the power generation is stopped,” he said.

Though the thermal plants are recommended by CEA to maintain coal reserves at least for 30 days, they stock coal at least for 15 days in general. But it has become difficult task for APGenco for some time.

The APGenco is now purchasing additional quantity of coal from Singareni Collieries Company Ltd as the Mahanandi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) has failed in supplying sufficient coal as per agreement. “We are purchasing more than 25,000 MT of coal from Singareni per day. As it is also not enough for our requirements, the APTransco is purchasing power at open exchanges for some days,” the senior official   said.

Joint managing director of APTransco Dinesh Parchuri told The Hans India that the Transco was purchasing 2 million units (MU) to 10 MU of power per day based on demand from open exchange. “We are purchasing power due to high demand for power during summer in addition to the coal supply problem in the state,” he said. He also said not only AP but also several states were facing the same problem.

APGenco chief engineer Ravindar Kumar told The Hans India that problem in transportation of coal was a major reason for shortfall in coal reserves in the state. “We had a meeting with officials of East Coast Railway and requested allotment of additional racks to supply coal.

We also sent requests to railway ministry in this regard. A superintending engineer of AP Genco has been in Bhubaneswar to pursue the coal supply issue” he said.

By K Varaprasada Rao