Coal position. Government to form Core Management Team to monitor coal supply position

Our Bureau Updated - August 29, 2021 at 09:43 PM.

Low coal stocks attributed to increase in power demand and less generation from hydro power plants

Three persons including two employees of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and a driver were killed when a dumper collided with a Bolero vehicle on the premises of the Opencast Project-II in Manuguru about 70 km from Kothagudem in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district this afternoon. The coal-laden dumper rammed into the Bolero vehicle after its operator lost control of the vehicle, killing all the three occupants of the Bolero vehicle on the spot. Photo: Arrangement.

The Government has decided to constitute a Core Management Team comprising representatives from Power Ministry, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Coal India Limited (CIL) to ensure daily monitoring of the coal supply situation, considering the situation of low coal stocks in certain power plants, the Power Ministry said in a press release. The decision was taken by Power Secretary Alok Kumar on Saturday in a meeting with the CEA and Ministry of Coal.

“The power plants have been intimated to send their requests for priority loading and coal supply issues at a centralised email fmdiv.cea@gov.in, so as to enable taking up the matter with the concerned authorities,” the release said.

The Power Ministry is closely looking at the current situation of the lower coal stocks in certain thermal power plants. As per the standard operating procedure the coal supply issues are taken up in the weekly meeting of a sub-group comprising of representatives from CEA, Coal Ministry, Power Ministry, Railways, coal companies and power utilities to ensure uninterrupted supply of coal.

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According to the release, it has also been decided that wherever coal stock is more than 14 days’ requirements of the power plants, the coal supply will be regulated to these power plants for next seven days. The freed-up coal will be supplied to the plants under supercritical category first and thereafter to critical category plants, so that an equitable distribution of coal stocks across all power plants is maintained.

Enhanced production

The enhancement of production from producing captive coal mines shall be directed to reduce dependence on coal supply from CIL. As per the release, the situation of low coal stocks in certain power stations are encountered due to reasons including increase in power demand on account of opening up of the economy throughout the country and less generation from hydro power plants.

Further, the maximum peak demand of 200 GW was observed in July 2021 and now it is hovering around 192-193 GW. Historically, maximum demand is observed in the month of September, it stated.

Published on August 29, 2021 10:46
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