ANGUL: Severe coal crisis has once again gripped NTPC-Kaniha. The country’s second largest power plant is left with stock that would last for just one-and-half day. This is due to short supply of coal from Talcher coalfield of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), in particular, the linked Kaniha mine for the last one month.
The short supply has forced the authorities to curtail generation capacity of the 3,000 MW plant by 500 MW. It supplies power to 17 States, including Odisha. Official sources said there is stock of 80,000 tonnes of coal that would last one-and-half day at the most.
“The stock was more than one lakh tonne before one month. As there was short supply, we had to use the existing stock and if the situation continues we will have to shut down our units,” said an official.
The plant needs more than 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes coal per day to run the six 500 MW generation units. Since last month, the plant is getting just 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes of coal from Kaniha and Lingaraj mines and other coalfields in Talcher. While Kaniha mine gives 8,000 to 9,000 tonnes, Lingaraj sends 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes. Besides, another rake of coal through railways reaches Kaniha per day.
The plant authorities had to shut down Unit-2 last week as the two-day-long strike by contractual workers of MCL stopped coal supply to the NTPC plant. At present, five units are generating just 1,800 MW to 2,000 MW against the normal 2,300 MW to 2,500 MW each day.
Sources said production has been stopped in the Kaniha mine owing to land problems. There is 29 per cent less coal production as on Wednesday. The MCL authorities are in touch with NTPC to solve the issue, sources said.