Coal shortage cuts thermal generation: CEA

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has observed that thermal generation in the country dipped during September and the April-September period.

In a report it said, although the coal-based plants achieved a growth rate of 6.46 per cent over the same period last year, generations from these stations alone suffered a shortfall of 4,607 million units (MUs) with respect to the generation target for the month. Cumulative generation from thermal plants during the April-September period, achieved a growth rate of 5.45 per cent over last year.

The report said this was due to the coal shortages/wet coal problems, low system demand/reserve shutdown of thermal units and forced outages. This also resulted in fall in plant load factor (PLF) of coal/lignite-based plants. The PLF was considerably decreased by 2.80 per cent during September and 0.82 per cent during April-September over the same period last year.

However, power generation fell short of the target by 9,267 MUs (2.69 per cent). During April-September, coal-based plants achieved a growth rate of 8.37 per cent over the same period last year. However, it was short of the programme by 5,154 MUs.

Loss of thermal generation due to poor quality/wet coal problem during April-September was estimated as 1.42 billion units (BUs).

A power ministry official told Business Standard, "Constraints in the availability of coal are affecting generation and it will continue. Coal India and its associate need to mine more coal to tide over the situation. The power ministry is pursuing its case with the prime minister, the Planning Commission, the empowered group of ministers."

According to the CEA, growth in coal-based generation is less due to 79 per cent materialisation of the requirement of coal. While loss of generation of 0.881 BUs during September was reported, the loss was 3.362 BUs between April and September.