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Amid monsoon, coal stocks dip in Uttar Pradesh thermal plants, no generation curbs yet
Against the prescribed norm of 13 days’ coal reserves for pithead plants and 21 days for non-pithead plants, current reserves have shrunk to around five and six days, respectively, say officials
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Coal-fired power plants in Uttar Pradesh are running with subsequently lower fuel stocks as heavy monsoon rains have disrupted mining and transportation in coal producing regions but the situation, as claimed by UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (UPRVUNL) officials, has not yet reached a level that could affect generation.
The state-owned UPRVUNL operating six thermal power plants with present generation capacity of over 9,000 megawatt (MW), is receiving 75,000-80,000 tonnes of coal a day against the normal 1-1.10 lakh tonnes, affecting its reserves, according to officials.
The shortage is part of a wider monsoon-related disruption affecting coal supplies to thermal plants across the country. However, UPRVUNL management claims they anticipated the seasonal disruption and took measures to ensure that its plants continued to operate.
“We had foreseen the crisis and made preparations accordingly. Our officials, one each, are stationed at the coal mine fields from where coal comes to our plants. They coordinate there regarding how much coal and of what quality is being dispatched through railway rakes,” UPRVUNL managing director Mayur Maheshwari said. He said coal was also being diverted from one plant to another to maintain adequate stocks.
“In coordination with the Central government officials we monitor the situation every day. The situation is under control as of now,” he claimed.
“The thermal plants that depend on coal from Northern Coalfields Ltd are more affected due to waterlogging in mining areas. Plants like Anpara and Pariccha which receive coal from the NCL mines, have particularly felt the impact,” UPRVUNL director (Technical) SN Tripathi said.
The fall in the daily supplies has resulted in a sharp depletion of coal stocks at UPRVUNL plants.
“Against the prescribed norm of 13 days’ of coal reserves for pithead plants (closer to coal mines) and 21 days for non-pithead plants, the current reserves have shrunk to around five and six days, respectively,” Tripathi said but maintained that there was no impact of plant operations.
Thermal plants owned and operated by the UPRVUNL include 2600 MW Anpara (Sonebhadra), 1270 MW Harduaganj (Aligarh), 1320 MW Jawaharpur (Etah), 2320 MW Obra (Sonebhadra), 660 MW Panki (Kanpur) and 920 MW Parichha (Jhansi).
Private and NTPC thermal plants in the state are said to be facing a similar coal crunch in varying degrees.
For now, UPRVUNL officials said the focus was on ensuring uninterrupted coal movement and optimising available stocks rather than curtailing generation.
“None of UP plants is among the 48 thermal plants identified as running on critically low coal stocks. The NTPC had to partially shut down its plant in Vindhyanchal in MP,” Tripathi said, adding, “The fact that the present power demand in UP is low is also helping us deal with the coal shortage problem.”
