New Delhi: Coal shortage across the country has led to reduced power generation and Delhi might go through intermittent rotational load shedding in coming days, power discom Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) CEO Ganesh Srinivasan said on Saturday.
Coal-based power stations supplying electricity to Delhi discoms have coal stocks to meet generation requirements for one-two days against 20 days as per applicable regulations, he said in a statement.
"As a result, Delhi might go through intermittent rotational load shedding. However, proactive steps by both Delhi as well as the central government for handling the grim situation are under consideration to arrange or divert coal for power generation," Srinivasan said.
No immediate reaction on the development was available from the Delhi government.
TPDDL, which supplies power to north and northwest Delhi areas, has started sending SMS to its customers urging them to use electricity judiciously.
"Due to limited coal availability in generation plants across north, power supply scenario between 2 pm to 6 pm is at critical level. Kindly use electricity judiciously. Be a responsible citizen. Inconvenience caused is regretted, read an SMS received by a TPDDL consumer in Burari. The Reliance infrastructure led — BSES discoms — BRPL and BYPL — that supply power to major part of the national capital did not comment on the issue.
Delhi Power minister Satyendar Jain said the crisis has been averted for two days after resumption of gas supply to the Bawana plant. He, however, warned that the national Capital may face a "blackout" if NTPC Limited does not supply power in the coming days.
The minister also said it appeared to him that the crisis was "man made".
Jain held a high-level meeting with officials of the power department and power distribution companies earlier in the day and discussed the issue as well as its possible solutions.
National capital's power regulator DERC held an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis and gave relaxations to discoms in power purchases in view of increased prices.
The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission requested the Ministry of Power to urgently intervene and facilitate adequate supply of fuel to the power plants to avoid any outages in Delhi.
Kejriwal said he was keeping a close watch on the situation and his government was doing its best to avoid the power crisis.
"Delhi could face a power crisis. I am personally keeping a close watch over the situation. We are trying our best to avoid it. In the meanwhile, I wrote a letter to Hon'ble PM seeking his personal intervention," Kejriwal tweeted.
In his letter, the Delhi CM drew attention of PM Modi towards the prevailing coal shortage continuing since August/September.
"It has affected the power generation from the major central generating plants supplying power to Delhi," the chief minister said in the letter.
Kejriwal requested the prime minister's intervention for adequate coal to be diverted from other plants to plants like Dadri-II and Jhajjar TPS which are supplying to Delhi. He also requested gas allocations to Bawana, Pragati -I and GTPS supplying power to the city.
Citing a daily report by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Kejriwal said there was one days coal stock backdrop at NTPC Dadri-II, Jhajjar and DV(CTPS) plants, and four days stock at Singrauli plant. There was no stick at Meja, he said.
"Maximum rate of power sold in any slot through the exchange, currently at Rs 20 per unit, may be suitably capped to discourage profiteering by traders/generators from the current crisis," he wrote.
He said the measures suggested by him were essential to maintain uninterrupted power in Delhi which is catering to strategic and important installations of national importance apart from supplying power to essential services like the cold chains for the vaccination drives, hospitals, health care centres, and Covid care centres.
"In the interest of consumers of Delhi and the power sector, I request your kind intervention to resolve the current crisis at the earliest," he said, seeking PM Modi's instructions to the ministries and offices concerned for addressing steps suggested by him to resolve the current crisis, and also to take steps to avoid such a situation in future.
The coal stock of power plants supplying electricity to Delhi has dwindled to meet one day need from the stipulated 30 days stock, Jain told reporters, appealing to the Centre to ensure supply of coal and gas to generation plants supplying electricity to Delhi.
"There is politics these days to create a crisis to make it appear some big thing has been done. It seems to be a man made crisis like medical oxygen shortage crisis was," Jain said.
"This country produces coal. The installed capacity of power plants is 3.5 times more than the demand and despite that power generation is stopped. So it appears to be man made," the minister added. Jain said Delhi is getting 50 percent of the power purchase agreements it has and rationing has to be done.
"There will be problems if adequate power is not provided to Delhi. We have PPAs of around 3,500-4,000 MW with NTPC but only half of it is being supplied. If NTPC does not give power, there will be blackout in Delhi," Jain said. Delhi government has instructed power purchase beyond PPAs at any cost to ensure 24 hour supply, he said.