Rains disrupt coal supplies, affecting power generation in TS, AP

To supply sufficient coals to thermal plants, the SCCL needs to produce at least 2.20 lakh tonnes per day. However, currently it was able to produce just 1.10 lakh tonnes, creating problems for the plants.

Hyderabad: Incessant rains have affected coal production in the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) leading to less supplies to thermal power plants in the State and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

According to officials, while to supply sufficient coals to thermal plants, the SCCL needs to produce at least 2.20 lakh tonnes per day. However, currently it was able to produce just 1.10 lakh tonnes, creating problems for the plants.

---

The 2×600 megawatt Singareni Thermal Power Plant (STPP) at Pegadapalli in Mancherial district too was facing coal reserve shortage. This plant usually has 2.99 lakh tonnes of coal reserves, but currently it was having 1.07 lakh tonnes due to short supply by the company.

Similarly, the Telangana State Power Generation Corporation (TGGENCO)-run 1080 MW Bhadradri Thermal Power Plant near Manuguru in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district has only 37 percent of the normal storage of 3.33 lakh tonnes. Even the 800-MW seventh stage of the Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (KTPS) has only 48 percent of the 1.64 lakh tonnes of coal reserve.

The situation in Andhra Pradesh was reportedly alarming. A total of 14.72 lakh tonnes should be in the reserve in all the thermal power stations of APGENCO, however, currently there was only 3.41 lakh tonnes causing concern among the authorities.

Dr. Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station (NTTPS) near Vijayawada, has only 2 lakh tonnes reserve against 9.39 lakh tonnes. The authorities are worried as if the coal supply does not increase the plant production might come down drastically affecting the power supply in that State.

The power officials claim that there would not be any shortage of power in the State as the electricity demand had come down drastically due to rain and cool weather. There would be no shortage of coal in the immediate future in Telangana and efforts were being made to supply additional coal to all the power plants in the State and neighbouring States through SCCL, officials said.