Ample coal to meet power demand, fear of disruption in supply entirely misplaced: Power Ministry
The Ministry of Coal and Coal India have assured that there is ample coal available in the country to meet the demand of power plants.
A day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned of a possible power crisis in the national capital due to shortage of coal, the Union Power Ministry on Sunday dismissed fears about disruption in power supply as entirely misplaced.
The ministry said that Union Power, New and Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh reviewed the coal stock position in all thermal power plants, including those supplying power to distribution companies of Delhi.
“Yesterday on 9th October, 2021, the total despatch of coal from all sources (Coal India Limited, Singareni Collieries Company, captive coal mines and imported coal) was 1.92 million tonnes while the total consumption was 1.87 million tonnes. Thus, the coal despatch have exceeded the consumption, thereby indicating shift to gradual building up of coal stock,” a statement from the ministry said.
It said the Ministry of Coal and Coal India have assured that there is ample coal available in the country to meet the demand of power plants.
Also Read: RIL’s renewable energy arm acquires REC Solar Holdings for $771 million
“Any fear of disruption in power supply is entirely misplaced. The coal stock at power plants is sufficient for more than 4 days’ requirement and as the coal supply is being ramped up by Coal India, the coal stock at power plants would gradually improve,” it added.
Amid a shortage of coal, many states were looking at a power crisis. On Saturday, Kejriwal took to twitter to warn the national capital of a possible power crisis due to the prevailing coal shortage and also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to intervene in order to help prevent and solve the crisis.
However, the ministry said that the Power Minister Minister has directed that distribution companies of Delhi will get as much power as requisitioned by them. While NTPC and Damodar Valley Corporation have been directed to supply power as per the requirement of DISCOMs, GAIL India has been advised to make gas available from all sources to gas based power plants in Delhi.
“NTPC has also been advised to offer normative declared capacity to the Delhi DISCOMs as per their allocations from gas based power plants under respective PPAs (power purchase agreements). If any DISCOMs is found to resort to load shedding despite being power available as per PPA, action would be initiated against them,” the statement said.
Despite heavy rains in August-September 2021, steep hike in power demand due to economic recovery and increase in prices of imported coal, domestic coal supply have sustained the operation of power plants and all out efforts are being made to ensure full power supply to the DISCOMs as per there requirements, it added.
Source : businesstoday
