3000 MW NTPC-Kaniha plant runs beyond 100% capacity

The 3000 MW Kaniha super thermal power plant of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has been operating at more than 100 per cent plant load factor for last two months as against the average PLF of 90 per cent for all NTPC operated plants in the country.

The improved performance of the power plant, the second largest in India, is credited to steady coal supply to the unit from the mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL).

According to sources, the plant has been operating at a PLF of 102 to 103 per cent since the last part of December except for some days in January when it faced coal crisis. All the six 500 Mw units are running at their maximum capacity generating about 3100 to 3200 MW per day.

While the southern grid takes about 2000 Mw power produced from stage –two of the project, the power generated from state-1 are distributed among the allocated states of eastern region. Orissa is getting a total of 500 MW of power, 300 MW from stage-1 and 200 MW from stage- two, as per its quota, the sources added.

The plant authorities who were worried over the depleted coal stocks for several months last year are a little bit relieved now as they have two days coal stock as of now. It is still alarming as the minimum requirement is seven days stock amounting to more than 4 lakh tonne.

The unit gets about 70,000 tonne of coal per day. About 60,000 to 65,000 tonne are drawn from MCL mines. Besides, it also gets 3000 to 5000 tonne of imported coal per day. With increased supply of coal these days, the NTPC authorities at Kaniha are trying to build up the stock. The import coal is used after it is blended with MCL coal from IB valley.