Madhya Pradesh is likely to face severe power crisis if Southern Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) and Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) do not restore adequate coal supply. The coal stocks at their two thermal power stations will last a few days. The energy department has been forced to purchase costly power from the national grid at Rs 8-10 per unit to meet the shortage.
Two of its main thermal power stations, the 1,340 Mw Sanjay Gandhi Thermal Power station in Birsinghpur and the 1,142 Mw Sarni Thermal power station, are reportedly receiving inadequate coal supply, as a result of which the power shortage has reached 1,000 Mw during peak hours. The Birsinghpur station is generating 900 Mw, while the one in Sarni is generating 700 Mw.
“Both the central government entities are supplying 4-5 rakes of coal each day against the required 6-7 rakes of coal. The coal stock is fast depleting and almost half the state will be plunged in darkness if the coal supply remains inadequate,” a source in the department of energy told Business Standard.
Both the plants have started consuming more coal than needed. The Birsinghpur power plant requires 18,000-19,000 tonnes of coal each day, while it receives only 15,000 tonnes.
Similarly, the Sarni thermal power station has a coal stock of 120,000 tonnes, which would hardly last 6-7 days. Confirming the report, Sanjay Bandopadhyay, power secretary, said, “We are facing a coal shortage and are in regular contact with the coal ministry and SECL and WCL officials.”
The state purchased additional power worth Rs 5 crore from the national grid to meet a 500 Mw peak shortage.
