Coal news and updates

Coal stock ebbs, CTPS ops in limbo

The Chandrapura Thermal Power Station (CTPS), a unit of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), sounded an alarm on Tuesday over its dwindling coal stock which may result in shutdown of its units in another couple of days.
 
The alarming situation arose after coal supply from the mines of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) was stopped 29 days ago after the transporters' strike demanded revision of rates.
 
CTPS claimed that if the units get shut it would lead to a huge power crisis in the state. Chief engineer CTPS B N Singh said they have very little coal stock as the supply from CCL through road has been disrupted for nearly a month now.
 
"The power produced by CTPS is being supplied to railway, Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL), Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), CCL, SAIL Refectories Unit (SRU) besides several sub-stations of JSEB. If the four units which are generating around 430 MW at present sinks, it will hit power supply to all these units," Singh said.
 
Singh said there is only about 20,000 metric tonne coal left in the stock, which they are using for production. To run the units they need 14,000 metric tonne coal everyday. If the situation prevails for more than two-three days, they will not be able to save units from sinking.
 
Till a month ago, CTPS had 2,00,000 metric tonne coal in its reserve, but the transporters strike has left its reserve stock empty. However, they are receiving supply from train and BCCL mines, but not sufficient to run its units. Singh said they used to receive about 800 tonne coal a day from BCCL while CCL managed to supply coal by train but after long gaps which would not resolve the crisis.
 
DC Uma Shanker Singh, however, has sent a team of administrative officials to negotiate with the Bermo Truck Owners' Association and senior officials of CCL to resolve the issue.
 
President of Truck Owners' Association, Satyender Narayan Singh, said they went on a strike after SDO Bermo Rahul Kumar Sinha in September penalized trucks which were plying overloaded with coal as it was a violation of the law.
 
CCL should revise the rates as plying with less load at the present rate will incur loss for them.

Source: The Times of India