Coal paucity to worsen power crisis

The power situation is likely to worsen in the country with as many as 16 major power plants facing critical supply of coal, barely adequate to meet their requirements of less than a week, an Assocham survey has said.

The Assocham 'Eco Pulse Survey' found that at the end of April 2005 as many as 16 thermal stations had coal stock of less than seven days, the industry chamber said.

The power stations, which are faced with a critical level of coal supply, include Ahmedabad, Wankbori, Satpura, Korba, Nellore, Simhadri, Mettur, North Chennai, Barauni, Kehalgaon, Kolaghat, Bakreshwar, Durgapur, Farakka, Talcher.

Korba, Kahalgaon and Farraka super thermal power stations and Simdhari, Bakeswar thermal plants had coal supply of more than 100 percent linkage but are included in the critical list due to high consumption and low linkage, it said.

Against a stock of 19 million tonne, the power stations are left with only nine million tonnes, facing shortage of 10 million tonne. The gap needs to be filled by imports.

"The government should facilitate coal imports so that the power situation does not become worse affecting the industry and agriculture," chamber president M K Sanghi said.

The survey also found that the Western region was worst hit with peak deficit of 27.1 percent. The northern and eastern regions were also facing problems with peak deficit of 6.1 percent and 4.2 percent respectively. Southern region is better off with least peak deficit of only 2.1 percent.