Rs 60 cr support to WBPDCL

The severe power crisis continued to grip West Bengal with power units unable to generate at full capacity because of coal shortage, as the government decided to offer cash support to the state-owned generating company.

The state government decided to offer immediate cash support of Rs 60 crore to WBPDCL to make part payment toward coal dues that has accumulated to Rs 550 crore.

There was some improvement in coal arrival after the state government offered assurance on payment to the Eastern Coalfields, the primary supplier of the raw material.

“Today, 12 rakes of coal arrived and a similar quantity will arrive tomorrow,” Power minister Manish Gupta said.

Gupta termed the coal price hike by CIL as a monopolistic act, but did not touch on the aspect of not allowing state utility West Bengal Power Development Corporation to revise the tariff, the core problem.

“The shortfall during the day was 500 MW in the districts and 90 MW in the metropolis and adjoining areas,” official sources said.

There was some improvement in generation that helped decrease the shortfall from near 1,000 MW to 600 MW.

But evening peak demand shortfall might rise in both the West Bengal Power Development Corporation and areas served by the CESC in the metropolis.

WBPDCL said it required 14 rakes of coal to meet the demand. The crisis in the national grid has aggravated the crisis in the state. The Union coal minister has asked Coal India to arrange more coal supply to power units.