Delhi likely to face blackout as power plants run out of coal
Power consumption rises, Delhi may witness a blackout
Warning of a blackout in Delhi, power minister Satyendar Jain said on Friday that thermal power stations in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri and Jhajjar and in Delhi’s Badarpur are not generating enough electricity because of shortage of coal.
“For the past 15 days, thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR are operating below their capacity as wagons to transport coal to the stations are not available with the Indian Railways. I wrote to Union railways minister Piyush Goyal on May 17, but till date no reply has come,” Jain said.
In his letter to Goyal, Jain sought the Union minister’s intervention and wrote that some of these power stations have coal stocks that would last only for a day or two, whereas, the usual norm is to keep at least 14 days of supply in stock.
“On May 18, Goyal held a meeting where railway officials were directed to improve the turn-around time of rakes by better scheduling of trains and optimum utilisation of traffic blocks. He also stressed on reducing terminal detention of wagons (carrying coal) inside power plants and coal sidings to generate extra capacity,” the official said.
“Due to insufficient power coming from coal-based plants, discoms are procuring power through alternate arrangements such as bi-laterals and exchange. But, the problem is it is very expensive with the cost going up to Rs 10 per unit,” said an official privy to the development.
-PTC News
