About 1,210 MW of thermal power generation capacity from three units of AP Genco is out of generation due to shortage of coal.
This is in spite of making alternative arrangement for coal from various Coal India units and importing coal.
With lower power generation seen at NTPC Ramagundam and Simhadri units due to coal shortage along with AP Genco plants out of production, Andhra Pradesh is now faced with a shortage of about 39.34 million units as against the day's demand of 265.34 MUs, in spite of purchases from other sources.
The 210 MW Vijayawada thermal power station unit V is under shutdown due to coal shortage and another 500 MW of Kothagudem thermal power station unit is under forced outage and 500 MW of Kakatiya thermal power station has been closed from Friday due to coal shortage. AP Genco has taken up annual overhaul of the Kakatiya 500 MW unit.
The AP Genco thermal units have supplied 78 MUs and the hydel plants 27 MUs to the grid of the total power 226 MUs supplied by the Discoms.
Inadequate supply
The generation of coal-based stations has been affected due to inadequate supply of coal from the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, whose miners are agitating in support of Telangana. In spite of alternative arrangements made for coal from Mahanadi Coal Fields, Western Coal Fields and South Eastern Coal Fields, IB Valley and augmenting additional supplies from imported coal, thermal power generation has been adversely affected.
According to latest data, about 550 MW of 2,600 MW at Ramagundam is out of production. Of this, Andhra Pradesh share's is 175 MW. And 435 MW at Simhadri power plant is out of production due to inadequate coal.