NTPC resumes generation after coal supply improves

NEW DELHI: India’s largest power producer, NTPC, has resumed generation at plants with a total capacity of 4,000 mw after coal supply improved in the past two days. The coal ministry is working overtime to transport fuel to projects but the electricity supply will improve only after four to five days.

The government has assured people it would make sure that there are no power cuts during Diwali. NTPC officials said most of the company’s projects were running at full capacity although the fuel situation was still tight. “However, coal stock is critical at a few projects as it will take time to build them up. Critical stock is anything below 10-12 days. But as the supplies have improved to over 95% now, stocks will build up.

The units not operating due to coal shortage are the 200-mw plant at Singrauli and 700-mw plant at Kahalgaon where coal transportation is a problem,” one of the officials said. The coal ministry has directed raising loading of coal to 180 rakes, of which 145 rakes is being supplied to power sector.

Half of India’s thermal power capacity had fuel stocks for less than four days as of Wednesday, according to the latest data available. Power minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Friday said the power crisis would improve in 4-5 days. “It would start improving in a few days and would be resolved by Diwali,” Shinde said. Floods, strikes at mines and the Telangana agitation has crippled mining and loading operations in several states.