TN seeks imported coal as stock situation turns critical

Tamil Nadu today urged the Coal and Railways Ministry to take steps to provide imported coal due to the critical stock situation in the state.
In a letter addressed to the Coal and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, State Electricity Minister P Thangamani said there was less realisation from coal firms that supplied to the state.
Thangamani requested Goyal to instruct Coal India Ltd and Railway authorities concerned to supply 15 rakes of coal on daily basis to manage the critical coal stock situation.
Due to less realisation from coal companies, out of the 210 MW units, 6-7 units of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation have been shut down, he said.

"The current average coal stock at TANGEDCO's thermal power station is only 3.3 days requirement against normal level of 30 days," Thangamani said.
Thangamani said he has advised the state electricity board to approach central public sector agencies for urgent supply of imported coal so that power outages were avoided.

The minister sought Goyal's immediate intervention in the matter and to instruct Coal India and Railway authorities for coal supply.
He also cited last month's letter by Chief Minister K Palaniswami to the ministry urging to advise the Coal and Railway authorities to allocate around 72,000 tons of coal by allotting 20 rakes per day to "to manage present critical coal and power situation."

Noting that the major supply for TANGEDCO was from Mahanadi Coal Fields Ltd (MCL), Talcher unit, he said, the realisation was about 50 per cent of linkage and realisation from other coal companies was also less due to "seasonal rain and railway congestion."
Referring to the MoU with Singareni Collieries Company Ltd for supply of one million tons of coal through rail to Mettur Thermal Power Station, he alleged that for the past couple of months, SCCL has not supplied any coal.
"In the above scenario, TANGEDCO may not be in a position to meet the grid demand of the state," he said.

Meanwhile, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam along with Thangamani met Goyal in New Delhi today and formally sought his intervention in the matter.