Coal crisis hits for the second time in months, with all Punjab power plants at a distance of over 1,000km from mines

Patiala The coal crisis for power plants in Punjab has assumed alarming proportions for the second time in recent months with no power plant having sufficient stock of the raw material.

In the private sector, the coal stock at Rajpura Thermal plant will last only 4 days and 20 hours; the Talwandi Sabo plant has coal only for 4 days and 15 hours, with the GVK Goindwal having less than two days of coal in stock. In government-run plants of Ropar and Lehra Mohabbat, coal will last only for 7 days and 15 hours, and 5 days 12 hours, respectively,

Standard guidelines of the Central Electricity Authority stipulate that all power plants located at a distance of over 1,000km from a coal mine must maintain a minimum stock of 30 days of coal at all times. All Punjab plants fall in this category.

The power demand in the state is less than 10,000 MW. In the private sector two units each are running at Rajpura, Talwandi Sabo and Goindwal Sahib. In the state sector, only one unit at Ropar, which was running till Friday, has been shut to conserve coal, as demand has lowered.