Power engineers warn of energy crisis in 12 states, seek govt action

"The coal crisis is being witnessed in 12 states once again after October 2021," All India Power Engineers Federation chairman Shailendra Dubey said

The depleting coal inventory of domestic thermal power plants has prompted public sector power engineers to warn of an impending energy crisis in 12 states. According to All India Power Engineers Federation chairman Shailendra Dubey, the power crisis could worsen owing to the low coal stock to fire thermal power units.

“The coal crisis is being witnessed in 12 states once again after October 2021,” he said, adding that in the first fortnight of April 2022, domestic power demand hit a 38-year high for the month.

While there was 1.1 per cent power shortage in October 2021, this shortfall shot up to 1.4 per cent in April 2022.

“Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Jharkhand and Haryana are facing power cuts ranging from 3 to 8.7 per cent,” he said. He urged the government to take immediate steps to replenish the coal inventory in thermal power stations to avert the crisis situation.

In Uttar Pradesh, the daily power demand has already breached 21,000 megawatt (Mw) while the supply is around 19,000 Mw to 20,000 Mw. Union power minister R K Singh has blamed the steep rise in the prices of imported coal on the Russia-Ukraine war. This is because of inadequate availability of railway wagons to transport coal. 

To supply coal to the thermal power stations, 453 wagons are required whereas only 379 were available in the first week of April. This number has now increased to 415. “Overall, the current situation is that the coal demand has increased by 9 per cent compared to last year. Only eight days of coal is left in the thermal power stations in 12 states,” Dubey added.

Although UP is not facing any serious coal crisis, yet the UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam power plants have coal stock to the level of 26 per cent compared to standard norm.

Against the total requisite coal inventory of 1.97 million tonnes in all the four thermal power projects of the Nigam, the existing stock is to the tune of 511,700 tonnes.

“The demand for power will increase as mercury rises in the coming days. As such, the power situation would further worsen,” he warned.