Coal crisis: Punjab power utility mulls coal import

With coal supply situation continues to remain "critical", Punjab power utility PSPCL today said it is exploring options of importing coal in order to meet the demand-supply gap.
"We are planning to import coal to meet requirements of our thermal power plants," a senior official of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) said today.
PSPCL's thermal power plants are facing "acute shortage" of coal supply, left with coal stock for just 2-3 days to fire energy plants.
Despite taking up the matter with the Centre, the coal supplies to three power plants of Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) continue to remain at "critical" levels.

Though official refused to divulge quantum of likely import of coal in the wake of expected jump in coal prices in global market, he said that the PSPCL was expecting to meet 10-15 per cent of total coal requirement of its three thermal plants through imported coal.
As per approved fuel requirement by power regulator, PSPCL requires 118.85 lakh tonne of coal annually for running its three plants.

PSPCL gets coal supplies from Centre Coalfields Limited (CCL) and Panem.
"We will file a petition with PSERC for allowing import of coal next week," official said.
Admitting that there was a shortage of coal, PSPCL official, however, said generation of power at any of three plants was not cut down because of coal supply issue.

"We have coal at our three plants which is sufficient for 2-3 days while a few coal supplies are in pipeline," he said.
"We are getting 9-10 rakes of coal per day," he said.
Ideally, there is a need to maintain coal stock by each thermal unit for minimum of 21 days for running plant smoothly as Punjab being far away from coal producing states, official sources said.
The combined power generation capacity of state owned Lehra Mohabbat, Ropar and Bathinda thermal plants is 2640 MW.
PSPCL is also hoping that after September 15, the power requirement from farm sector may cut down which will help in easing the power situation.

"From September 15, there will be lesser requirement of water by paddy growers. Only those grew Basmati paddy will be in need of water for irrigation," he said.