The rising temperatures and electricity demand have left the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) worried.
In Punjab, four units of thermal plants are shut from past few days. The coal shortage has forced PSPCL to resort to power cuts from three to six hours, sparking protests in different parts of the state.
Current position of thermal plants in Punjab:
1. In Rajpura, coal stock is for 17 days only.
2. In Talwandi Sabo, coal stock is for 4 days.
3. In GVK, coal stock is almost nil.
4. In Ropar, coal stock is for 9 days.
5. In Lehra Mohabbat plant, coal stock is for 6 days.
As per the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data released on April 11, there is a shortage of coal stock in the thermal power plants in the country.
As per the report, as of now, 50 of the 73 thermal power plants identified as critical have less than 10 per cent of stock, having power generation capacity for less than 10 days.
V K Gupta, spokesperson for AIPEF, said that it was not just Punjab as the situation was bad across the northern region.
He said, "As per Central Electricity Authority’s (CEA) latest daily coal report, the coal stock at 81 out of a total of 150 thermal power stations using domestic coal is critical. The condition of the private sector thermal plants is equally bad as the coal stock of 28 out of 54 plants is in critical stage."
“In Haryana, Yamuna Nagar thermal has a stock of 8 day, and Panipat thermal of 7 days. At Khedar thermal, where the only unit is available for generation, the coal stock is for 22 days," V K Gupta added.
In such a situation, the threat of a blackout looms large in Punjab following the shortage of coal.