Several states in India are reeling from frequent power outages due to the shortage of coal in thermal power stations. The key states facing the issue of coal shortage are Delhi, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh among others.
POWER SUPPLY TO METRO TRAINS, HOSPITALS COULD BE HIT IN DELHI
The Delhi government on Thursday warned of a possible setback in providing an uninterrupted electricity supply to important establishments in the capital, including Metro trains and hospitals. Power Minister Satyendar Jain held an emergency meeting to assess the situation and wrote to the Centre requesting it to ensure adequate coal availability to power plants that supply electricity to the national capital.
“Due to disruption of power supply from Dadri-II and Unchahar power stations, there may be a problem in 24-hours power supply to many essential institutions, including Delhi Metro and Delhi government hospitals,” a government statement read.
Presently, 25-30 per cent of the electricity demand in Delhi is being met through these power stations, and they face a shortage of coal, Jain said.
He said the government was monitoring the situation closely and making every possible effort to ensure that people did not face power outages in some areas of the capital.
PUNJAB POWER MINISTER SAYS 40% RISE IN DEMAND
Farmers’ body Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee on Thursday announced a protest in Amritsar on Friday in front of the house of the power minister accusing him of not ensuring adequate electricity supply to the farming sector.
Punjab power minister Harbhajan Singh said that driven by the rising temperature, the demand for electricity shot up by 40 per cent compared to the corresponding period of last year.
Not only Punjab, other states too are facing similar problems, he said, adding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was monitoring the situation.
The opposition parties said load shedding was adversely affecting farming and industrial sectors, besides causing inconvenience to the domestic consumers.
NALCO COAL CRISIS RESOLVED IN ODISHA
The Orissa High Court was apprised that the ongoing coal crisis of aluminium major NALCO has been resolved following a discussion among the stakeholders concerned.
The High Court, which on April 25 had directed three Union secretaries (mines, coal, and power), and the Chairman of the Railway Board to sit together, in virtual or hybrid mode, with the chairman-cum-managing directors of the MCL and NALCO to find a way within 24 hours for resolving the crisis so that NALCO’s smelter plant at Angul and its Alumina refinery at Damanjodi were not pushed to the brink of a shutdown, was informed about the outcome of the discussion on Wednesday.
The meeting of the three secretaries was held on Tuesday.
UP LIKELY TO FACE POWER CRISIS
Amidst the shortage of coal in thermal power stations, the power crisis may deepen in the densely populated state of Uttar Pradesh as only one-fourth of the coal stock is left in the state, which is way below the required level.
Sources said in the first fortnight of April, the demand for electricity increased due to scorching heat. The coal crisis in the state-owned Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam continues as only 26 percent of the coal that should be in stock is left.
In the last 38 years, the demand for electricity was highest in the month of April this year. While there was a power shortage of 1.1 per cent in the month of October due to the coal crisis, it was 1.4 per cent in the first fortnight of April. In Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Jharkhand, Haryana, there are power cuts ranging from 3 to 8.7 per cent.
RAJASTHAN GOVERNMENT ORDERS POWER CUTS
The situation arising out of scorching heat and extremely harsh weather conditions has worsened in Rajasthan due to the prevailing power crisis in several parts of the desert state.
The power prices have resulted in the state government deciding to curtail power supply in several parts of the state. The state government has decided to ensure that the supply of power is reduced by three hours in villages, two hours in districts and one hour at the divisional level.
“Coal crisis is there in the entire country. We are giving Rupees 15 per unit but we still are not able to get electricity,” Bhanwar Singh Bhati, Power minister, stated.
