Fuel shortage affecting 65,000 MW power capacity: CEA

Close to 65,000 MW of power generation capacity is held up in the country due to shortage in fuel supply by state-run Coal India, says a report.

According to the latest CEA report, as many as 47 power stations suffered scarcity of fuel with stocks that could not last more than a week.

These plants are categorised as stations with "critical" coal stock position of less than seven days by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), apex power planning body.

The condition of these plants is mainly due to less receipt from monolith Coal India and its subsidiaries.

The total capacity, which is lying vacant due to want of fuel stands at 64,925 MW. As much as 15,860 MW capacity of state-owned NTPC is struggling due to less receipt of coal from CIL, according to the data.

Six power stations of NTPC - Rihand (2,500 MW), Singrauli (2,000 MW), Vindhyachal (3,760 MW), Ramagundam (2,600 MW), Simhadri (2,000 MW) and Talcher (3,000 MW) - spread across various locations in the country are reeling under acute coal shortage and have less than a week's stock at their disposal.

According to another CEA data, there was a peak power deficit - shortfall in generation capacity during the time when the electricity consumption is the maximum - of 9 per cent or 12,159 MW in the first six months (April-September) of the current financial year (2012-13).

This was mainly due to scare fuel supply.

Peak power deficit in the month of September alone stood at 10 per cent or 13,291 MW.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister's Office (PMO) directed CIL to sign Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs) with power companies even in the absence of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

It was decided during the meeting that FSAs can be signed with power companies having long-term and medium term PPAs based on confirmation from the Power Ministry that it is benefitting the consumers.

Even those power producers who have not signed a PPA with any electricity distribution company, can sign the FSA but they will be required to produce the PPA before lifting coal.

Meanwhile, Power Minister M Veerappa Moily in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote that delay in allocation of coal blocks is hurting power generation plans of NTPC.