Akhilesh wants more coal for thermal power plant

Wants coal supply to be enhanced from 3 rakes per day to 5 rakes so that Parichha plant could function optimally

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has demanded greater coal supply for the state owned thermal power plant at Parichha.

In his missive to union minister of state for power and coal (independent charge) Piyush Goyal, he said three units totalling 450 megawatt (mw) of the Parichha plant were closed down since Wednesday due to coal shortage.

As such, the plant was working at only 60% of its installed capacity of 1,140 mw.

Yadav wants coal supply to be enhanced from 3 rakes per day to 5 rakes, so that the plant could function optimally.

The plant, with six generating units and owned by UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam, is located on the banks of river Betwa in Jhani district of UP.

The plant gets coal supply from four subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL). The mines owned by Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) account for 50 and 22% respectively of its total coal supply.

Yadav had earlier also written a letter on July 1, 2014 seeking higher allocation of coal for the plant.

Anpara (1,630 mw) and Pariccha (1,140 mw) power stations account for 56% of the aggregate power generation in UP.

The CM claimed BCCL had continuously been reducing coal supply to Parichha over the last week with the result that three units had to be shut. He also referred to the worrisome coal stock situation at Parichha.

Yadav wants BCCL and CIL to supply 4 and one rake(s) of coal daily to the plant, so that not only it worked at full capacity, but the stock situation also improved.

Recent rainfall had moistened the coal stock at different power plants, thereby reducing their combustibility and reducing energy generation. Besides, the coal stock of the plants had also dipped to perilous levels.