Power generation in the 3,000 MW NTPC-Kaniha has been drastically curtailed this month due to coal shortage.
According to NTPC official sources, the authorities facing coal crisis have shut down one 500 MW unit from the beginning of this month, while another 500 MW unit which was closed for similar reasons has been restored three days ago.
The power plant, second largest in the country, has been facing problems due to less supply of coal by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited this month. The sources disclosed that against the daily requirement of 55,000 tonne from the coal company it received on an average 25,000 tonne to 35,000 tonne a day pushing it into a serious trouble. The power plant is left with a coal stock just for a day.
This has brought down the average power generation in the plant from 1,000 MW to 1,800 MW this month against the normal capacity of 2,500 to 3,000 MW.
The plant load factor also did not exceed 50 per cent mark while it usually runs above 100 per cent PLF.
Out of the six units, each 500 mw, in the plant, the authorities now operate four. With unit 4 closed for want of coal, unit 2 remains shut for annual maintenance and unit 6 which remained closed for some days for want of coal was restored. Coal crisis for the plant is not new but these days the drawal has been very abysmal.
Coal dispatch from the linked coal mine Lingaraj at Talcher remained much less than the demand due to shortfall in production this month. The power plant also draws coal from other coalmines located in the field. It also imports coal.
MCL authorities, commenting on the situation, attributed it to slump in coal production due to incessant rains in this season.