Coal news and updates

The Tuticorin thermal power plant with a total capacity of 1,050 MW has been shut down as the Tamirabarani river has gone dry. The five units in the plant draw some 180 million litres of water as coolant every day through a Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) pipeline. This is the first time this season a thermal unit in Tamil Nadu has been shut down due to water shortage.

In 2012 too, the units were shut down due to water shortage but plant staff say conditions are much worse now. Tangedco decided to shut down the units instead of purchasing water which would have been prohibitively expensive.

Utility officials say they can manage since the demand is low and other sources of power supply are available. "Due to drought in delta areas, farmers are not using power to draw groundwater unlike last year when the demand in February crossed 14,000MW. We are getting power from the central thermal units in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at the same cost as Tuticorin," said a senior Tangedco official.

"If the demand crosses 14,000MW, we will have to purchase water and fire the Tuticorin boilers. But that will burn a hole in our wallet," said the official.

Source: Times of India