The Odisha Power Generation Corporation Ltd (OPGC) today halted electricity production at one unit of its twin power stations at Jharsuguda, as truck drivers suspended coal transportation services after a police firing on a group of agitating workers killed two and injured 10 persons last week.
OPGC, a joint venture between the Odisha government and AES, has two units of 210 Mw each in IB valley area. These plants are fed by coal produced from Lakhanpur mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL).
The supply operation from the coal mine disrupted on Sunday after two persons out of 12 workers injured in police firing died at different hospitals. On Saturday, the police had fired at the workers belonging to the RCP transportation company, as they were demonstrating in front of the company office demanding salary hike.
The power producer requires about 6,500 tonne coal per day to run the two units. It is now running only one unit with the coal available in its stocks.
