Coal shortage ails thermal project

SURI, Oct. 21

The power production of Bakreswar Thermal Power Project (BkTPP) may be adversely affected in the next couple of days because of the fall in the supply of coal from two companies ~ Eastern Coalfield Ltd (ECL) and Bengal Emta. The authorities have already informed the higher authorities of the imminent problem.
Due to shortage of coal supply, power production has gone down drastically in the last two days. On an average, a minimum loss of 200 MW of power has been recorded daily in the four units of BkTPP.
"We need 11,000 MT of coal supply every day for the four units, which has gone down by 5,000 MT now. Because of the shortage of coal supply, production of power has been very badly affected. We usually produce 830 MW of power everyday, but now it has been reduced by 200 MW in just two days. We are afraid that the total production at the thermal power project may be shut down anytime," said Mr DP RoyChoudhury, general manager of BkTPP. Since last few days, ECL has nearly stopped their coal supply which has affected the three units of the project.
The BkTPP authorities and the Power Development Corporation Ltd (PDCL) are apprehend that if this continues all the units would have to be shut down.