Coal-fired power plants in Uttar Pradesh are running with subsequently lower fuel stocks as heavy monsoon rains have disrupted mining and transportation in coal producing regions but the situation, as claimed by UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (UPRVUNL) officials, has not yet reached a level that could affect generation.
The shortage is part of a wider monsoon-related disruption affecting coal supplies to thermal plants across the country. However, UPRVUNL management claims they anticipated the seasonal disruption and took measures to ensure that its plants continued to operate. “The thermal plants that depend on coal from Northern Coalfields Ltd are more affected due to waterlogging in mining areas.
Plants like Anpara and Pariccha which receive coal from the NCL mines, have particularly felt the impact,” UPRVUNL director (Technical) SN Tripathi said. “Against the prescribed norm of 13 days’ of coal reserves for pithead plants (closer to coal mines) and 21 days for non-pithead plants, the current reserves have shrunk to around five and six days, respectively,” Tripathi said but maintained that there was no impact of plant operations.
