To fight the nation’s rising power disaster, the federal government is pushing for a ten per cent mixing with imported coal and the revival of stressed power crops. Also on its precedence record is the establishing of extra renewable power sources.
The ministry of power has requested authorities and personal sector utilities to import 19 million tonnes of coal by the tip of June.
The state-run NTPC and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) are scheduled to deliver round 3.2 million tonnes of imported coal for mixing this month, mentioned Alok Kumar, Union secretary for power. This is more likely to push world coal costs up. In December 2021 the federal government had determined to extend the proportion of imported coal within the home combine from 4 per cent to 10 per cent.
The authorities can also be attempting to deliver extra imported coal-based power crops on monitor. Out of the 17,255 MW capability of imported coal-based power crops, solely round 10,000 MW is operational now. “We are hopeful that an additional 5,000 MW or so will come up in two to three weeks,” Kumar mentioned.
The ministry of power has requested all imported coal-based crops to run at full capability. Of the 173 thermal power crops, round 99 are operating on crucial coal inventory or lower than 25 per cent of their normative coal inventory. As per the newest power ministry information, the full inventory at pit-head and non-pit-head power crops within the nation is just round 32 per cent of the normative inventory.
The different measures taken to deal with the coal crunch embody the revival of stressed or under-liquidation coal-based tasks of round 7,150 Mw, for which it’s in discussions with mills, lenders and states. “The government is trying to maximise coal production from Coal India, Singareni and the captive mines. In addition, thrust is being given on achi¬eving 10 per cent blending of imported coal,” Kumar mentioned. Power ministry information reveals {that a} demand of 184,871 Mw is being met throughout peak hours, whereas the power scarcity is round 28 million items, and peak scarcity is 1,074 Mw.
“For the power sector, a long-term sustainable model would be to improve the financial health of the distribution companies. This will help the import of coal too. The idea to revive stressed plants and imported coal-based units is good,” mentioned Ashok Khurana, director-general, Association of Power Producers.
At current, power technology corporations have dues of round Rs 106,800 crore from distribution corporations. Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra owe probably the most, with Rs 22,960 crore and Rs 19,828 crore, respectively.
Among the states, Haryana has expressed its willingness to amass a stressed power plant to make sure sufficient sources can be found for the availability of power to customers within the state. Kumar mentioned {that a} doable roadmap has been chalked out concerning the stressed items after discussions with lenders and power plant homeowners.
The authorities can also be pushing for the event of renewable power property to cut back the dangers of coal scarcity in future.
“We should have an integrated and balanced power basket. We should look at all options, including wind and solar, keeping coal as the base. Coal is required for round-the clock power. Since discom health is a major concern, we should look for consumer-level reforms immediately,” mentioned Vivek Sharma, senior director at rankings and coverage advisory firm, CRISIL.
Since the non-availability of rakes has been cited as one of many causes for the scarcity within the provide of coal, the railways have cancelled 1081 journeys, primarily within the South East Central Railway (SECR) area, until May 24.
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