Half of power plants have less than 7 days of coal stocks

Supply has been short due to various factors like less lifting by TPPs through captive modes and logistic constraints of the Railways, says Power Minister

Nearly half of the country's coal- based power plants are reeling under fuel shortages and had stocks to last less than seven days as of July end, Lok Sabha was informed today.

"As on July 30, 2014...46 thermal power plants (TPPs) were having critical coal stock of less than seven days, out of which 23 TPPs were having super critical coal stock of less than 4 days's requirement," Power Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Some of the power plants which are affected due to coal shortages are Indira Gandhi STPP (Super Thermal Power Plant) in Haryana, Rajpura TPP (Thermal Power Plant) and Ropar power plant in Punjab, Suratgarh TPS (Thermal Power Station) in Rajasthan among others, the minister said.

The supply has been short due to various factors like less lifting by TPPs through captive modes and logistic constraints of the Railways, he said.

With a view to monitoring coal supplies to the power sector, he said the government has constituted a sub-group comprising representatives of ministries like power and coal.

"This sub-group takes various operational decisions for meeting any contingent situations relating to power sector including critical coal stock position," Goyal said.