Punjab CM asks Centre to ensure adequate coal supply to avert power crisis

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 9

Slamming the Centre for inadequate coal supply against the PSPCL’s agreements with various subsidiaries of the Coal India Ltd (CIL), the Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday asked it to immediately enhance the state’s coal supply as per quota to tide over power crisis with the impending shutdown of its thermal plants due to fast depleting coal reserves which are likely to exhaust within next couple of days.

Reviewing the power situation amid the shortage of coal supply in the state, the Chief Minister said that all the thermal plants are unable to generate a full capacity of power due to insufficient coal receipt. However, he reiterated his government’s firm commitment to give power supply for irrigation of paddy crop where necessary. He also said that power cuts are being imposed for domestic consumers in cities and villages to ensure sufficient supply to the agriculture sector as well as to maintain grid discipline.

Earlier, the Chairman-cum-Managing Director A. Venu Prasad apprised the Chief Minister that the thermal plants throughout the country are reeling under coal shortages and coal supplies crisis. Within the state, Independent Power Producer (IPP) plants are left with less than two days coal i.e. NPL (1.9 days), TSPL (1.3 days), GVK (0.6) days and it is on a decreasing trend as coal supply by Coal India Ltd. (a GOI undertaking) is not as per requirements. PSPCL plants i.e.  GGSSTP and GHTP also have just two days of coal stock reduction. Coal to all these plants is supplied by various Coal India subsidiaries as per Fuel Supply Agreements of these plants with them but presently receipt is much below the required level.