India's thermal power producing
companies are on the verge of production cuts as the Coal stocks are
below critical levels. The companies cannot afford to import coal due to high
tariffs.
At present, the companies are
having stocks to produce power for next 4- 5 days. The firms have been facing
the shortage for the past one month due to the floods, Telangana agitation and labor
trouble obstructed supplies to power stations.
According to the latest data from
the Central Electricity Authority, 89 power plants with a total capacity
of more than 40,000 mw not even have enough coal to power for four days from
November 1.
The Coal Ministry had
urgently asked the state run Coal India to take urgent steps to improve
supplies to the coal starved companies but the sectors are seeking for long
term solutions.
“The participants
deliberated on the way forward in the context of severe shortage of coal
supply, poor quality of coal being received by NTPC stations, the issue
concerning high price of imported coal and its impact on power generation cost.
Several other issues of critical significance were also discussed,” a senior official said.
The Company had shut down about
5,000-mw generating capacity due to acute coal shortage. Many companies are
also on the verge of shutdown.
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