As NTPC belches coal from rakes to biolers, India faces imminent power crisis

Bhubaneswar: As the NTPC’s Odisha power plants belches coal directly from rakes to its boilers to maintain the minimum generation of power, the nation is facing a power crisis ahead. The workers strike in Talcher coalmines, which enters 13th day on Monday, has disrupted coal supply to NTPC’s power plants–3000 MW Kaniha Super Thermal Power Station and 460 MW Talcher Thermal Power Station.

Now with the coal stocks at its power plants coming down to zero, the NTPC is virtually feeding its plants directly from the railway rakes that are arriving with coal loads from Ib valley and other sources.

“The coal stock at plant yard has come down to zero. We have received 14,000 tonnes of coal from Ib valley and other mines”, said a NTPC spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the NTPC has shut down four units of its 6×500 MW Kaniha plant. The current generation from the running two units on partial load is less than 700 MW. Earlier, it had shut down four of the 6 units of 460 MW Talcher plant.