Powered Off / Plants have only eight days of coal left, this is the lowest in ten years, power cuts increased in 12 states

The sound of power crisis in the country is getting closer. The coal-fired power plants had only 8.4 days of coal left on April 12. 12 states have started power cuts as production was affected due to shortage of coal. Union Energy Minister RK Singh has admitted that there is a shortage of coal in some states. However, he has given different reasons for this.

The demand for electricity in the country in April is the highest in 38 years, while the supply of coal is the lowest in the last ten years. Talking about the full financial year, the supply of coal to power plants has increased by 24.5% to 677.67 million tonnes as compared to last year. Despite this, this supply is also falling short due to increased demand. By law, the plants should have one month's coal stock.

Maharashtra has a power deficit of 2500 MW. Cuts have been announced in rural and urban areas. Andhra Pradesh has 8.7 per cent less electricity than demand. At the same time, Energy Minister Singh said that there has been a shortage of coal in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan due to stoppage of imports or due to non-time supply from railways. The demand for electricity is continuously increasing. It is estimated that this time there will be a tremendous increase in demand, which will be the highest in four decades.

Double the price of imported coal

After the Ukraine war there has been a sharp increase in the price of coal in the international market. At one point the price rose from $150 a tonne to $400 a tonne. Right now it is $300 a ton. Due to this, the plants dependent on imported coal stopped imports. Most of the plants in Tamil Nadu are in trouble because of this.

Supply did not increase in proportion to demand

The coal reserves in the country have depleted. The reserve which was earlier for 14-15 days, is now left for only 9 days. In fact, the proportion in which the demand has increased, its supply has not increased in that proportion. -RK Singh, Union Energy Minister

forced to take expensive electricity

Due to power shortage, problems have increased in UP, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. These states have started power cuts.

• To keep the situation normal, states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are buying expensive power.

1.4% reduction in power supply

Last week, the supply decreased by 1.4 per cent against the demand. The decrease in March was 0.5 per cent. In October last year, the shortfall was just over one per cent. Even then the industry picked up pace after the second wave of Corona.

• Jharkhand, Bihar and Haryana have electricity shortage of more than three per cent each.

Anpara: Coal is less than 10 thousand MT per day

The coal remaining in stock is being used in the largest 2630 MW Anpara project of UP Vidyut Utpadan Nigam. Consumption is 40 thousand MT daily, but coal is reaching only 30-32 MT.

• One unit of the Harduaganj project has been closed for several days. At the same time, the 660 MW unit is also producing less than the capacity.
• Unannounced power cuts are happening from cities to villages in the state.