ANGUL: The 3,000 MW NTPC Kaniha thermal power station is facing a crisis with only two of its six 500 MW units functioning due to acute coal shortage. Four 500 MW units of the power plant have been shut owing to a strike at Talcher coalfield which has disrupted the supply of raw material to the station. If the situation persists, then several States, including Odisha, which draws power from the plant, are likely to be plunged into a severe power crisis.
Odisha draws more than 500 MW from the power station every day. Closure of four units at the station is unprecedented. Sources said the stock of coal at the plant has reduced to 4,000 tonnes from 7 lakh tonne. Around 55,000-tonne coal is needed daily to run all six 500 MW plants at the station.
At present, three rakes (10,000 tonnes) of coal from Ib valley, Eastern Coalfield and Singareni Coalfield are being supplied to the plant. Power generation at the plant has plunged to 700 MW per day against the normal of 3,000 MW. A senior NTPC official said it is unclear how long will the two plants function. He hinted at the closure of the remaining units if the strike continues. NTPC authorities have apprised the State Government of the crisis.
The situation at NTPC’s Thermal Power Station at Talcher is equally precarious. Three units at the station have been shut down and at present the only one is operational. A senior official said the station can function for two days only as it has 19,000-tonne coal in its stock. He said the stock includes wet coal, which is difficult to use for power generation. The crisis also prevails in private plants.