36% thermal power plants operating on critical fuel levels

India's 36 per cent thermal power stations are facing acute fuel problem and are operating on coal stocks of less than a week, coinciding with approaching summer.

Nearly 28 thermal power stations out of the total 78 have coal stocks of less than seven days, which is deemed critical in the sector's parlance. Of these, 15 power plants are functioning on coal stocks of less than four days, according to the data compiled by the Central Electricity Authority.

The 1,250 Mw Suratgarh thermal power station in Rajasthan, 1,340 Mw Mejia in West Bengal, 840 Mw Patratu and 420 Mw Tenughat in Jharkhand do not have coal stocks for even a single day. According to the CEA data, NTPC's 1,000 Mw Sipat super-thermal power station in Chhattisgarh had fuel stock for only one day on April 20.

But the country's largest power generator said that it was not facing any fuel shortage heat. “We are getting enough coal to run our plants at 90 per cent efficiency level,” a senior NTPC official said, adding that fuel stock position depended on a “day to day” basis.

About 14 thermal plants are running dry (without fuel), including NTPC's 3,000 Mw Talcher super thermal power station in Orissa.