Coal news and updates

The public sector thermal plants of Punjab are facing the worst-ever coal crisis as two projects have stocks for just three days each and the third one has supplies for seven days.

 

As per Central Electricity Authority (CEA) guidelines, at least 20 days' stock is required to run the thermal plants smoothly. Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant at Lehra Mohabbat and the Ropar project have coal stocks for three days whereas Guru Nanak Dev plant at Bathinda has stocks for a week.

 

The three plants produce 2640MW power ? Ropar plant's six units produce 1260MW, Lehra Mohabbat project's four units give 920MW and Bathinda's four units 460MW.

 

Around 40,000 tonne coal is required everyday in the three plants. A senior functionary of PSEB Engineers' Association said the coal stocks at the plants are at its lowest in many years. Though the coal stocks are being recorded much lower than required for the past many months the stocks on Tuesday was at its lowest in years. If sufficient supplies are not provided the plants could stop production.

 

Lehra Mohabbat thermal plant chief engineer S K Puri confirmed the plant is short of coal stocks. "The stocks are enough for three-and-a-half days now. We are getting three-four rakes daily and this quantity is getting consumed on daily basis," he said.

 

An official of the Punjab State Power Corporation said the corporation has requested the coal supply firm PANEM to increase the supplies.

 

 

Source: ToI