CM raises coal shortage issue at thermal power plants with PM

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal the coal shortage at thermal power stations in the NCR. "Dadri I and II, Jhajjar and Badarpur are facing acute coal shortage since last many days and at present, all of them are operating one day ahead basis coal stock not sufficient for even one-day full generation," he said in the letter.

"As per norms, the stock condition is to be maintained for at least 15 days ahead period," he added.

In his letter, Kejriwal, noting that the demand has already crossed 6,200 MW and is expected to touch 7,000 MW, urged them to intervene to resolve this crisis-like situation at the earliest in order to avoid load shedding or any major grid incidence leading to blackouts.

He attributed the coal shortage to the non-availability of transportation rakes with Indian Railways, "due to which the available coals are not getting transported to the NCR thermal stations".

Delhi Chief Minister blamed the non-availability of transportation rakes with Indian Railways for the coal shortage. The available coals are not getting transported to the NCR Thermal stations, he has written in his letter.

Earlier, Delhi Power Minister Satyender Jain had a written a letter 17 May to Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal for the shortage. "There is no coal in power plants in the NCR. Dadri I, II, Badarpur, Jhajhar (plants), none of them has stock (coal) for more than one day," Jain said.

"This is a man-made disaster in making. We always had extra power but today there is no extra power. If any problem arises, there will be a blackout," Jain said.

The Minister said the power plants used to have a reserve coal stock for 14 days. In his letter to Goyal, Jain said:

"It has also been gathered that this coal shortage is due to non-availability of transportation rakes/wagons with Indian Railways." Discoms procure maximum power from coal-based thermal power plants like Anta-Auraya, Dadri -1 & 2 Units, Singrauli, Jhajhar, Tanakpur and Uchahar.